Herculean effort to get granny to wedding

Galway granny Delia Crehan was determined not to miss her beloved youngest grandson’s wedding – but it needed a herculean effort on all fronts to get her to the big day.

Because Delia, from Newbridge, is a patient in Galway Hospice – and it took the combined efforts of her family, Hospice staff and Cloonacauneen Castle to make her dream come true.

Grandson Mark Crehan was marrying his beloved Paula at Cloonacauneen Castle last Saturday, and Delia was hell-bent on claiming her rightful place as granny of the groom.

So the Oranmore Civil Defence team were enlisted to get granny to the groom; the team are already familiar faces around the Hospice because they do a weekly run and knew all about Delia and her dream.

As team member Louie Casserly put it, Saturday’s was a very special duty – thanks to several weeks of careful planning.

“A beautiful day dawned and our patient was ready bright and early with a beam from ear to ear; I suspect, this might be one of her favourite grandsons,” said Louie.

The Granny of the Groom was resplendent in a purple ensemble with a matching silk scarf.

She had hoped to be able to stay a couple of hours – but it was a full seven hours later before Delia was ready for her return to the Hospice after  a day to remember…thanks to the combined efforts of family, Hospice staff, Cloonacauneen Castle and the Oranmore Civil Defence volunteers.