Famous Biography

Catherine Hayes the opera singer is sometimes confused with the woman of the same name who was convicted of petty treason for the murder of her husband. She was sentenced to be burnt at the stake while one of her lovers who did the actual killing was hanged.

Thackeray got the two women confused and had to write an apology to Miss Hayes . In ‘Virtue and Vice’ there will be no such misunderstanding and neither will you read the often repeated but totally wrong accounts of her early life. I’m afraid the rags to riches story doesn’t bear up under investigation and there are at least three sources to prove the truth.

Earlier writers and researchers have failed to find the facts or indeed to understand the history of Ireland and Limerick in the 19c. Many appear to have been deluded into thinking that Miss Catherine Hayes was an uneducated servant girl with a natural talent for singing. The only bit that is right is that she was a naturally talented child. For the rest, ask yourselves how did she learn to read, write and speak French, Italian and perfect English as well as play the piano. I have one of her letters which would put many a modern school leaver to shame.

Catherine Hayes had an older sister called Henrietta who is seldom mentioned at all and when she is, she is portrayed as a neglected Cinderella figure. In fact she was also educated with Catherine and her knowledge of languages got her a job with Queen Amelie who was the last Queen of France living in exile in England. Possibly, she acted as an interpreter for the multitude of Royalist sympathisers from many countries who gathered at Queen Amelie’s residence near Richmond. They plotted to overthrow Napoleon III but were unsuccessful in their attempt to assassinate him.

Henrietta’s involvement with the Royalists may have been a factor which prevented Catherine from ever appearing at the Paris Opera. We know she tried to get into a production there but didn’t succeed. She too may have been a Royalist sympathiser or was suspected of being one by Napoleon’s agents.

This is the first time in history that the conventional life story of Catherine Hayes has been challenged. You are invited to send any comments, information etc. to us and, if we use the information, you will receive a free signed copy of the new sensational biography.

The Famous Biography blog is about the lives of two internationally famous women, Catherine Hayes  and Lola Montez. They both travelled the world and earned fame and fortune. Lola Montez became a courtesan and erotic dancer as a result of circumstances and her extrovert character. and

Catherine or Kate as she was popularly known in America and Australia was a lyrics lover and had many written specially for her. One in particular is extremely important in the context of her true life and that will be discussed in the new biography ‘Virtue and Vice’.

Catherine Hayes began her singing career in 1839 when she went to Dublin to study under Antonio Sapio. After three years, she returned to Limerick and persuaded the Bishop to underwrite her new dream of becoming an opera star despite the Church’s opposition to stage careers for women. She left Dublin for Paris in October 1842 to study under Manuel Garcia.

Rosenberg tells us in some detail of the evening he spent with Catherine and Mary Hayes at the home of Bowes and his wife ‘just off the Champs Elysee going towards the Arc de Triomphe’. Garcia was also there. After dinner, Rosenberg and Garcia accompanied the ladies home. They left them ‘at their door’ and proceeded past the Madeleine and along to Boulevard des Italiens. His original description of that meeting is important as it proves that Catherine had set up a household if her own in Paris and didn’t live with the Osborne family as others claim.

We don’t know much about Catherine’s life in Paris between October 1842 and April 1844 when she left for Milan. Garcia didn’t allow his pupils to sing in public but we now know that she did so on at least two occasions. Bishop Knox must have continued to support them as usual and was probably a regular visitor to their home. We know that he favoured life on the Continent and in France in particular and that he left Ireland in 1842 never to return to his See. He had a very high income from his Bishopric and his lands and could well afford to live where he choose.

In 1844, Lola Montez arrived and stayed at 24 Rue de la Victoire quite close to where Miss Hayes lived. At that time, Lola was Liszt’s mistress and he’d sent her on ahead to await him in Paris. She said she was there to improve her dancing and actually appeared at the famous Paris Opera dancing in “Le Bal de Don Juan” . Her numbers were entitled ‘Lolita’ and ‘Los Boleros de Cadiz’. She was only allowed to give a couple of performance because there were protests from some who said she was below the standard they expected at the Opera.

Life in Paris was anything but dull for the artistic set. Lola got her share of publicity by her usual outrageous behaviour but Kate kept a low profile. Her mother’s presence will have helped her to remain discreet. In 1844, Garcia and Kate appear to annoy each other more than usual and she decides to complete her studies in Milan. She was a difficult pupil at times. Witness the incident at Bowes’ house when she insisted on singing an Irish ballad much to Garcia’s disgust. No doubt there were other occasions when she kicked over the traces apart from the concerts mentioned above.

Note: Catherine Hayes made a fortune only to lose most of it on her death bed to criminals who forged her will. Click here for an article on her Will Forgery.