SALUTE A SENIOR SALUTE A SENIOR

Ever left primary school.

“One of her nicknames in the convent was ‘Tigger’,” said Ms Duffy

“Because she always landed on her feet.”

Dympna puts her ability to face life’s challenges in the faith she has in God.

“God’s looked after me,” she said.

Her love of life has been expressed in her love of people and her interest in sport and technology.

“Dympna loved playing golf, tennis, and croquet ” said Ms Duffy

“She is very competitive.”

When her injuries meant she could no longer play active sports, Dympna developed a love of cards and board games, especially rummicub and mahjong.

Dympna will also admit to playing hockey and basketball and those year six football games.

Dympna is well-skilled in the internet and an avid iPhone user as well as a Facebook regular.

“She still enjoys keeping in touch with her grand nieces and nephews who are now spread around the world,” said Ms Duffy.

“She always provides advice or humour, or just a smiley face when we need it.

“She loves Irish jokes and even now can recite one at the drop of a hat.”

Dympna also has a good set of green thumbs on her. “She was teaching the children how to garden when she worked at the Cowper orphanage,” said Ms Duffy “She got them all into the garden introduced them to gardening. The abundant produce meant they rarely had to buy vegetables and the children had fun as they learned their new skills .”

After her husband’s death, Dympna moved to Ballina. She continued working in the Parish community, running a Christian meditation group, and taking a keen interest in the social justice group with special concern for refugees and the homeless.

When asked the inevitable question, of what she attributes to her longevity,

Dympna has three main tips.

“Good genes, a healthy lifestyle and my faith, that would be frst,” she said. “God’s always come to my assistance.”

The tipple of Baileys Irish Cream and an episode of Home and Away each night could be added to that list as well.

An Irish joke from Dympna Mary had died and Paddy, her husband was in the pub with Mick, his friend.

Mick asked, ‘How are you getting on without Mary? You must be lonely.’

‘Oh no,’ Paddy said, ‘I bought meself a goat.’ Mick said, ‘A goat? What will you do about the smell?’

‘Oh, she’ll have to put up with it.’ Paddy replied.