Delia Daly

THE death took place recently in the Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, of Delia Daly, Carrentulla, Claremorris. She was formerly Griffin from Carrentulla and was predeceased by her husband Tom (formerly from Skevarde, Ballindine) in 1999 and her son Martin in three years ago.
Delia and Tom raised a large family of 15 children, ten girls and five lads. Farming was their way of life and they worked many long days in the fields in the times when things like that were the most natural thing in the world.
Delia (86) belonged to a lovely generation of honest to goodness Irish country people who had no agenda whatsoever except to do their best for their family and community. She loved to help out on the land and also take care of the family home.
Sowing the potatoes in Spring, saving the hay in the summer and harvesting the oats and potatoes in the Autumn formed an integral part of the seasonal cycle for Delia. She had a special fondness for the bog and the turf and loved days spent under the great skies, giving thanks to God for the blessing of good health and contentment.
Delia and Tom grew all their own vegetables, long before the word organic seeped into the human consciousness. She churned her own butter and prepared the big dinners needed for the men when the ‘meitheal’ arrived in the farmyard for the annual ‘thrashing’ at the back end of the year.
For many years Delia and Tom were regulars at the popular Sunday night dances in Bourke’s Lounge in Irishtown. They loved the jiving and the waltzing and meeting their neighbours and many friends. It was an occasion they looked forward to from one end of the week to the other.
A woman of abiding faith, Delia was a regular attender at Mass and ceremonies in St Colman’s Church, Claremorris, all through the years.
Throughout her life, Delia always had a warm and hearty welcome for all callers to the family home. “Ye know where the kettle is, go out and make ye’reselves some tea,” was a regular saying of hers in later years. It was easy to feel at home in her company.
Large crowds attended the funeral ceremonies on both days. Removal took place from Donnellan’s Funeral Home to Claremorris Church with interment in St Colman’s Cemetery following Requiem Mass celebrated by Fr Peter Gannon, PP.
Delia is survived by her daughters Mary, Kathleen, Margaret, Bridie, Chris, Patricia, Geraldine, Ann., Teresa and Josie, sons Mickey, Johnny, Noel and Paul, 42 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, in-laws, relatives, neighbours and friends. May she have peaceful rest.