McKenna, Siobhan, << mah KEHN ah, shuh VAHN >> (1923-1986), was one of the leading Irish actresses of the 1900’s. She became particularly known for her portrayal of Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw’s historical drama Saint Joan. She performed the play in London in 1955 and in the United States in 1956. In 1960, McKenna gave an outstanding performance as Pegeen Mike in John Millington Synge’s Irish classic The Playboy of the Western World.
McKenna was born on May 24, 1923, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and was educated at Galway University. She made her stage debut in 1940 and gained widespread recognition while performing in Dublin’s Abbey Theatre from 1943 to 1946. In 1946, McKenna made her first movie, Hungry Hill. She made many television and movie appearances in the 1960’s and 1970’s. McKenna died on Nov. 16, 1986.
