Evergreen Kildare woman celebrates 80th birthday at Clanard
Sheila Sheridan celebrating her 80th at the Clanard Court Hotel, Athy with her son Shane McDonagh daughter Tanya Janes Photos: Jimmy Fullam
SHE used to be a florist, a chauffeur, a police sergeant and a tax inspector, but former Ballysax resident Sheila Sheridan came home from Hertfordhire last weekend to celebrate her 80th birthday in the Clanard Court Hotel – now built on fields where she used to ride out!
“Yes, indeed, we had a bit of a hooley, and you’ve got the picture to prove it!” she laughed.
Some 100 guests spent the evening dancing and dining until the wee hours at the Hotel.
“I spent four years as chairperson of Newbridge Active Retired and several years as chairperson of Newbridge Scribblers producing two books – and ,” she said.
“My own publication, was published in 2017 and my memoirs are due for publication before Christmas,” said Sheila.
“I’ve lived in Hertfordshire since 1964, but I went back to my cottage in Ballysax, although I haven’t lived there since 2017."
When questioned about her enormous energy, she said: “I’m a volunteer usher in the Potter’s Bar Theatre, and do up to four shows a week which keeps me alive, on my feet."
Her family were originally from north Cavan and Leitrim, but when her father got transferred from Columb Army Barracks in Mullingar to The Curragh during the Emergency the family all moved to Cutbush – or “the promised land” as Shelia calls it.
“I used to ride my bike along the old roman road, 12 miles long it was, and I used to ride horses with (the late) Willie Fennin outside Athy (who built the Clanard).
“He was a big farmer, and used to provide all the hay for cattle being exported to Libya.
“I used to know the lands before the hotel was built, I used to ride horses there, and even fell off of one there.
“I’ve done a lot of things in my 80 years,” she said, before listing them off.
“I was a tax inspector for 20 years, and I was a sergeant in the Metropolitan Police before that.
“I had a vintage Riley 47, and I’ve been driving since I was 17.
“I used to follow the Gordon Bennett, and I’m not a decoration, I know what’s under the bonnet as well!
”I opened a florist called Lalza’s Parlour, and I used to drive for the weddings in my Jaguar – I had the hat and uniform!"
