Cork's Aoife to star in 65th anniversary special of Coronation Street tomorrow night

It’s a fair distance from North Cork to Weatherfield, but Fermoy actor Aoife O’Dea – Aoife O’Donovan to those who know her from her younger days in the Palace Theatre – is set for a starring role in Monday night’s Coronation Street 65th anniversary special.

The special will feature a flashback to the younger days of the new landlady of The Rovers Return, Maggie Driscoll, a character usually played by veteran star of stage and screen Pauline McLynn, who is still perhaps best known as Mrs Doyle in Father Ted.

The younger Maggie is played by Ms O’Dea, and she told The Echo she had an unusual background in understudying Ms McLynn.

“In sixth class, for our school show, I played Mrs Doyle, when I was maybe 11 I was studying her, and when this audition came though I thought, ‘I actually know her mannerisms, I remember this,” she said.

“I had a feeling I had a good shot at this, like, how many people have a past experience of playing Pauline McLynn?” 

Meeting Ms McLynn was a surreal pleasure, she said, but they got along very well.

“She was absolutely lovely, I’ve never met a nicer person, she took time out to come in and meet all of us, which she didn’t have to do.”

Also appearing in Monday's Coronation Street special is West Cork actor Aidan O'Callaghan.

Bitten by the acting bug early, Ms O'Dea started out early, appearing on stage in pantos and Fermoy Musical Society in the Palace Theatre, working with Donal Finn, Killian Collins, Valerie O’Leary, and others in the local theatre world.

She studied at the Guildford School of Acting, and lives now in London, where she gigs as an accomplished harpist.

Ms O’Dea said that – in common with many young Irish exiles in the UK - she is looking forward to Christmas back home with her family, a rover’s return no doubt keenly awaited by her loved ones.

Coronation Street is on Virgin Media One at 7pm on Monday.