Thelma Mansfield

Starting out..Thelma as an RTE continuity announcer in 1976

She soon found, however, that she ‘was totally absorbed – you don’t even hear the radio. For the first few years, the only reason I stopped painting was when I was cold, or hungry – I was unaware of the time, I was so absorbed.’

Her first professional commission came about through a picture (encouraged by Johnny) she had done of a view of a beautiful old window in the gate house at their Spiddal home. He sent it as a Christmas card to friends at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel. In the New Year, an invitation came to Thelma from the hotel, requesting six paintings, to be auctioned to raise funds for two local old churches. ‘That was pressure!’ However, all six were sold, and Thelma the professional artist was on her way.

Thelma with the late Derek Davis in a sketch on the hugely popular RTE TV Live at 3

Thelma with her sons Michael, left, and Rod

She has become well known for her appearances with the artistic community, at the Merrion Square railings. Her artist sister and brother helped her with the routine, and Thelma also enjoyed meeting the public ‘and the lovely atmosphere .’ She has displayed there with her son Michael, and is delighted with the careers of both her sons - Roderic is her elder one. Michael went to art college, was in a band, made records. He worked as a bar man in the Alps, to fund skiing, and stayed in Madrid and Barcelona. A natural painter, he has however, discovered that it can be hard to make a living from it.

‘Rod is a sound designer. They compose, are involved in sound engineering, performance, and produce music for film documentaries, ads, cartoons and he now has his own business with Mark Murphy’. Thelma now has two grandsons, Ricky, aged six, and three year old Louis, and the family has clearly struck ‘a good blend between being close, really very close’ without living in each other’s pockets.

It would be wrong, however, to assume that Thelma’s life has been without some serious challenges. ‘When I retired, I thought that we would have a magical time, travelling, visiting friends...’ However, Johnny, whom she married in 1972, after ‘love at first sight, really’ has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He suffers from movement problems and getting medication just right was a challenge ‘Honestly, we were so busy with our lives, and we put so much into this house – Johnny did a great deal of work on it, and now we have to realise that down the road, that it may not be suitable to stay in that home..’

She has also discovered that ‘it is much easier to look after someone, to exist easily, from home. Travel abroad became imposssible. A night away is fine, but there is a lot involved. I think that I am a good organiser, maybe a little bit of a controller, but many aspects are concerning. Johnny has to take a lot of tablets and, no matter how good people are, it’s better if one person is hands on and keeps an eye over things.’ Thelma does all this and has some home help as well. However, she does much of the care work herself, with the help of a carer who comes for one hour in the mornings, several times each week.

She also does ads for Home Instead. ‘I think that it is a good cause – keeping loved ones at home for as long as possible. Most of us would try to do that – the nursing home is really the last resort..’

So how does she manage it all – and paint as well? ‘Lists. But I think that I’m getting forgetful sometimes! I do have an exceedingly busy life.’ She is not joking. Earlier, the painter had arrived to work on her orangery style studio in the garden. Johnny’s breakfast - plus his 10 a.m pill had to be organised. She is also working on a ‘Jack and Jill’ charity card, and some materials have not arrived. So, three paintings have to be done this afternoon, dried and sent off, with a dash to deliver them. Yet she remains cheery, warm, friendly and welcoming – in short, still the Thelma known over the years to millions of television viewers.

Thelma on being ‘older and bolder’

‘I keep busy. I have so much to do, and I don’t have time to think about all the problems and worries associated with old age..’

‘I firmly believe that when you neeed strength, you can find inner strength inside you– it is there, in everyone, to draw on’.

‘Take on every challenge. You never know what you can do, what you can deal with. I’m an optimist. I always look on the bright side. You never know – with an illness, for example, what can be done, what results you can get’.

even if it’s old. I like `Olde Worlde’ styles. Our kitchen has a stone floor, Aga, Shaker furniture but is filled with colour, warmth, beauty, and is welcoming – that’s what matters’.

‘Nature. Our garden is so important to me. We’re so lucky to have a walled garden – we have an old spiral yew tree, a fig tree, greenery, magnolia, olive trees.. I love watching the seasons, and the birds. Johnny is exactly the same.’

‘I’ve always been creative. I’m so lucky that I’ve been exposed to beauty in the places, houses and gardens we’ve visited - they’re so inspiring. I don’t know what I would do without that creative element in my life..’ www.thelmamansfield.ie

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