 As a child, Maxi and Sam played the violin, and Madge played the piano.In addition to singing with the Little Dublin Singers and Young Dublin Singers, Maxi sang in the school choir at St Louis High School, Rathmines.When Eamonn Andrews wanted to create a girl group to sing backing vocals for his recording studio, he chose Maxi, Adele King, and Barbara Dixon because of how the combined singing voices sounded; the girls became Maxi, Dick and Twink based on all their respective nicknames.