she was born sarah teresa macmahon to james and sarah macmahon of coas, county monaghan in 1888. she was one of four boys and three girls. she used the irish form of her name, sorcha. irish was the family's first language. she was educated in laggan national school and st louis school in monaghan. after school she went to dublin and took a commercial course. she then worked as a bookkeeper for taggart's garage.