Born Born Miriam O’Connor in
Waterford to Michael O’Connor, a bank manager with 5 children including Valerie, Michael and Fidelma. Gallagher went to school in the Convent of the Sacred Heart in
Roscrea, County Tipperary and in
Bregenz, Austria. She went to college in both the
University of London and
University College Dublin. After college Gallagher worked initially as a speech and language therapist, an occupation which led to the publication of one of her non fiction books. Gallagher also studied drama in London, in LAMDA under Frieda Hodgson. Her varied work from play to speech therapy, as well as working with prisoners, and led her to be a visiting lecturer at universities across the globe. Gallagher was deeply involved in the organisations of her craft, leading her to being a member of Irish
PEN, both on its committee and as vice president, on the
Irish Writers' Union committee as well as a council member of the Society of Irish Playwrights. Over the years she won a number of awards. ==Awards==