Maria thought up the name "Hot House Flowers" for the successful 1980's Dublin band over coffee in the Trinity College Arts block, and was lead female vocalist in its early line-up.

Campaigned in favour of the legalization of civil marriages between homosexuals in Ireland.

She and her husband, Kieran Kennedy, have four sons.

Was member of the Black Velvet Band. The band broke up in 1996.

Released her debut solo album, "Charm", on September 21, 2001 on Mermaid Records, her own independent record label. The album includes the musical accompaniment of a few of her co-stars from The Commitments (1991), including Robert Arkins and Félim Gormley.

Maria has just collaborated with Feist & Jarvis Cocker on a video for the song *Century* from Feist's new album. The project was a crazy mashup of Westside story and Thriller and featured Maria & Feist as dance-off gang leaders.... Maria writes and performs with husband Kieran Kennedy and along with the new album they have also completed their first short film *A Different Kind Of Day* written and directed by Maria, produced and scored by Kieran . They also raise 4 children together, although occasionally, when things are particularly frantic, they just throw packets of crisps at them. In May 2014 Maria featured on the Paul Noonan album *Printer Clips* with Joan As Policewoman and Martha Wainwright amongst others.