Mary Dora (MacMahon) Daly DBE (1896 - 1983)

Born 24 Aug 1896 in Cootamundra, New South Wales (Australia)

Wife of John Joseph Daly — married 3 Jan 1923 in Rushcutter's Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Died 11 Jun 1983 at age 86 in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

May (MacMahon) Daly DBE is Notable.

Dame Mary Daly DBE was an Australian writer, humanitarian and charity worker.

May (MacMahon) Daly DBE was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

May (MacMahon) Daly DBE has Irish ancestors.

Mary 'May' Dora MacMahon was born on 24th August 1896 in Cootamundra, New South Wales (Australia). She was the eldest child of Thomas MacMahon, a solicitor, and Mary O'Donnell. ^[1] She was educated at the Loreto Convent in Normanhurst, New South Wales and Loreto Abbey, Ballarat, Victoria.

She then worked in her father’s law firm and, showing her interest in charitable and humanitarian work at an early age, became active in the State division of the Australian Red Cross Society and, during the (First World) War, the Voluntary Aid Detachments. She was certainly set a great example by her father, who was an alderman of the municipal council, a justice of the peace, deputy-coroner and member of the local hospital committee.

May married Doctor John Daly on 3rd January 1923 in St Canice's Roman Catholic Church, Rushcutter's Bay, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. ^[2] The Dalys had two children, John Berchmans and Marie Berchmans.

Settling with her husband in Melbourne, May became increasingly engaged in charity work: as honorary secretary (1927-29) of the Hawthorn-Kew auxiliary for St Vincent’s Hospital; member (1930) of the executive committee of St Anne’s Hall, a hostel for girls in Carlton; and president (1927-29) of the Loreto Old Girls’ Association. To raise funds for the Loreto Kindergarten Association, she wrote and self-published a children’s book, Marie’s Birthday Party. May was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.

With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, May was the only woman on the executive of the newly-founded Catholic Welfare Organisation (CWO). She became the CWO's president two years later, in 1941. Other humanitarian and charity work with which May was affiliated included: member of the National Council of the Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS); executive member of the Council of the Victorian Division, ARCS; fund-raiser for Caritas Christi Hospice; the first woman president (1966–75) of the Australian Catholic Relief Foundation; and member (president 1975–77) of the Ryder-Cheshire Foundation (Australia). She also served on the State councils of the Girl Guides Association and the National Heart Foundation, as well as the Victorian Anti-Cancer Council.

In 1940 she received the Long Service Medal of the Australian Red Cross Society. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 1st February 1937 ^[3] and upgraded to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the King's Birthday Honours 1949. ^[4] May was created Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the King's Birthday Honours 1951. ^[5] The Roman Catholic Church conferred the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice upon May in 1951: ^[6]

"His Holiness Pope Pius XII has conferred on Dame Mary Daly the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontijice in recognition of the outstanding work she has done for charity as president of the Catholic Welfare Organization of Victoria."

In 1961 May returned to writing children’s books, now in support of the Yooralla Hospital School for Crippled Children. Cinty and the Laughing Jackass—illustrated by seventeen leading artists including twelve Archibald prize winners—raised $25,000 to build a therapy pool; Timmy’s Christmas Surprise (1967) provided over $800 annually towards its maintenance; and Holidays at Hillydale (1974) generated additional funds.

May was granted honorary life membership of the Australian Red Cross Society in 1971.

Aged 86 years and having been widowed for thirty years, May passed away on 11th June 1983 in Fitzroy, Victoria. ^[7] Her final years were spent at Kew, living with her daughter.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #20985/1896
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #177/1923; registered at Darlinghurst
3. ↑ Australian Honours: OBE; accessed 5 Dec 2023
4. ↑ Australian Honours: CBE; accessed 5 Dec 2023
5. ↑ Australian Honours: DBE; accessed 5 Dec 2023
6. ↑ Advocate (Melbourne, Vic.: 1868 - 1954) Thu 3 Jul 1952 Page 3 POPE HONOURS DAME MARY DALY; accessed 5 Dec 2023
7. ↑ Victoria Death Index #13000/1983

See also

• Warne, Ellen. 'Daly, Dame Mary Dora (May) (1896–1983)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2007; accessed online 5 Dec 2023.
• Wikipedia: Mary Daly; accessed 5 Dec 2023.