My Greystones: Delia Barry

Oh, Delia…

t’s a long way to Tipperary, but, not long enough, it would seem…

The bould Delia Barry made the journey quite a few moons ago, and, after 30 years as a blow-in, it looks like she might be here to stay.

We blame Smith’s dancehall, which used to stand near the entrance to The Glenview Hotel. That’s where Delia met Paddy.

Life would never be the same. For Delia, or Greystones, as it turns out.

Firstly though, the freshly-married couple moved to England, to find work, staying in Hampstead, London for fourteen years. When Delia’s father passed in ’71, the lure of home became too strong, and soon the couple were back in Ireland. Taking a job in a bar, their short stay in Tipperary became something a little more pressing when Delia’s 37-year-old sister headed into hospital for an apparent slipped disc. It turned out to be The Big C, cancer claiming Paddy too, many years later.

When Delia’s sister passed, she and Paddy took on the four kids – Margaret, Christy, Stephen and David, all under 11 – as their own. And now these four grown-up kids have children too, all of them seeing Delia as their honorary granny. Margaret lives nearby, always ready to swing by whenever Delia needs any help. The boys, meanwhile, like to see Greystones as a wild weekend away from Tipperary, happily dragging Delia around the town’s pubs. “They seem to think I’m their age,” laughs the not-so-reluctant party mum, who, to be fair, looks far, far younger than her 77 years on this planet.

Luckily for Greystones, we’ve been able to share the last 30 years with Delia, and her impact here has been inspiring. Which may explain why Delia won the Special Award at this year’s People Of The Year.

The lady certainly gets our vote, Delia relishing all the fun that Greystones has to offer, travelling the world with the Greystones Active Retirement. And there ain’t no stoppin her – this Saturday, Delia’s heading off on a cruise around the Norwegian fjords with three of her buddies.

Happy sailing, young Delia. And come back soon. Greystones needs you. Every single day.

Now, go check out Delia’s surprise 80th birthday party on September 4th, 2019 here.