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Candy Devine

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For the American wrestler, see Candi Devine.

Candy Devine
MBE
Born
Faye Ann Guivarra

1938 or 1939
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
DiedOctober 2024 (aged 85)
Australia
OccupationActress, singer, radio broadcaster
Years active1970–2013
Spouse
Donald McLeod
​
​
(m. 1970; died 2012)​
Children4, including Alastair McLeod

Faye Ann McLeod, MBE (née Guivarra, 1938 or 1939 – October 2024), better known by the stage name of Candy Devine, was an Australian broadcaster, singer, and actress.[1] She was a radio broadcaster and singer in Northern Ireland for over 35 years.[2][3]

Early years

Faye Ann Guivarra was born in Cairns to a sugar-farming family.[4][5] She was of Spanish, Sri Lankan, Filipino, English, Danish and Torres Strait Islander heritage.[6][7] Her parents were co-founders of the Cairns music group, the Tropical Troubadours, and later established the city's Coloured Social Club.[4]

She was educated at St Augustine's School, East Innisfail, a boarding school from 1948 – she provided "incidental music and accompaniments" at their 1952 break-up ceremony.[4][8] For secondary education she attended Brisbane's Lourdes Hill College from the early 1950s.[4] She furthered her interest in music while at college.[4] Later she studied piano and cello at Queensland Conservatorium[4] before taking to the stage in Sydney.

Her appearances in Australian television include the series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (1968)[9] and fronting ABC's In Key.[10]

Life in Ireland

Devine travelled to Ireland in 1969 on what was intended to be a short visit.[11] She was hired for a cabaret slot at the Talk of the Town club in Belfast. She married her promoter and booking agent, Donald McLeod, in Dublin in 1970. They lived in the Republic of Ireland for five years and moved to Belfast in Northern Ireland in 1975.[4]

Devine began a long career with Downtown Radio in March 1976.[4] They had four children, including Brisbane-based celebrity chef, Alastair McLeod.[2] Devine was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for "services to Broadcasting and to the Community in Northern Ireland".[12][13]

Return to Australia

Devine moved back to Australia in 2013 following the death of her husband the previous year. As of September 2016 she lived in Brisbane, sharing a five-acre property with her son, Alastair and his family.[4][14]

Devine died in Australia in October 2024, at the age of 85.[15]

References

  1. ^ "International Women's Day Breakfast 2014 with guest speaker. Faye McLeod aka 'Candy Devine'" (Press release). Lourdes Hill College. March 2014.
  2. ^ a b McCarry, Grainne (12 June 2008). "Me and my health: Candy Devine". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  3. ^ Little, Ivan (24 December 2013). "Candy Devine – back in Australia's sunshine after a short gig in Ireland which lasted 44 happy years". Belfast Telegraph.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Women inspiring women". 14 March 2014.
  5. ^ Uncle Toby (17 May 1948). "The Children's Corner: Competition Results: Intermediate Division". The Worker. Vol. 59, no. 3174. Brisbane, Qld. p. 20. Retrieved 18 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia. Note: Faye Ann Guivarra is 9 years old in May 1948.
  6. ^ Living Black, re-broadcast 4 June 2023, SBS, Australia
  7. ^ "Alastair McLeod". Archived from the original on 20 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Sacred Heart Convent High School Breaking Up Concert". The Evening Advocate. Innisfail, Qld. 11 December 1952. p. 2 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Classic Australian Television". Episode 23. "Sing me back". Archived from the original on 19 January 2022.
  10. ^ Catterns, Angela (4 September 2002). "Candy Devine – Belfast, Northern Ireland". 702 ABC Sydney (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Archived from the original on 30 November 2004. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  11. ^ Little, Ivan (26 March 2015). "Candy Devine on her exciting new life Down Under". Belfast Telegraph. Independent News & Media.
  12. ^ "No. 60728". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2013. p. 21.
  13. ^ "Order of the Companions of Honour" (PDF). www.gov.uk.
  14. ^ Ireland, Karen (7 September 2016). "How husband's death convinced Downtown star Candy to give up life on the radio to rediscover her Australian roots". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  15. ^ "Broadcaster Candy Devine dies aged 85". BBC News. 31 October 2024.
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