‘A Lady who was always young at heart’ - Moving tribute to late Dympna Bromley (92), Ballyshannon 

They say that you do not get a second chance to make a first impression, but the late Dympna Bromley (née Shiels) from the West Rock, Ballyshannon never would have needed that second chance, as her beautiful radiance personified every sinew of her being, on first acquaintance.    

Dympna (92) was held in huge affection in Ballyshannon, which was reflected in the large numbers of people at her wake, who were truly sorry at her passing. 

The word most used to describe her was 'a lady', mourners were told at her Funeral Mass at St Joseph's Church, the Rock Ballyshannon on Monday morning.

Funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr Dermot Burke P.E who reflected on Dympna’s total dedication to both her family at home and also in her work. Among the many mourners at the Mass was her brother-in-law, Fr Herbie Bromley.   

Dympna was born on the 25th June, 1930. She was the second eldest of a family of three girls and two boys of Joseph and Annie Sheil and grew up on the family farm at Dunmuckrum.

She went to school down through the fields and across the GNR railway line to school at Carrickboy NS at West Rock. After primary school she undertook a commercial course at the Tech, which was then located down The Mall.

After completing that she went to work in Gorman's garage in Bundoran, where among her tasks, was the bookkeeping for the garage.

She later returned to Ballyshannon and worked in Dr Marie Egan's pharmacy (now the Pillbox) on Main Street, where her easy manner and knowledge soon earned the affection and respect of customers, so much so that there were some who would only deal with her. Her meticulous bookkeeping abilities were also called upon again.

In January 1956, she married her late husband Richie and her life then took a different course as she travelled with him to where his work with the Cementation construction company took him and they lived in various parts of the country.

They returned to live in Ballyshannon when they bought the house at West Rock in the early 1960s. 

It was there she raised her family of five children and for many years, while her husband Richie was away working in different parts of the country, she did so on her own during the week.

She returned to work part time in Dr Egan's when her youngest child Liam went to school and when Dr Egan retired she continued to work for a number of years for the new owner of the premises Gerry Kelly.

After her retirement her new focus in life was her grandchildren, who she took great delight in, and she travelled to Glasgow twice a year to keep in touch with her Scots grandkids.

She always kept herself very active and loved walking. 

She went to the 9.30am Mass every morning in St Patrick's but instead of taking the shortest route, she walked away up around Cluain Barron and Ernedale Heights to extend her walk. 

Then in the afternoon she would often do the five miles circuit up the Higginstown road and then across and down the Dunmuckrum road.

Dympna was also a great reader of newspapers and magazines. She had a great interest in news and current affairs, keeping up to date with news bulletins on radio and TV. 

She was always interested in learning something and had a great interest in history.

She also had a great interest in fashion and even into her 90s was very particular about what she would wear and how she looked. She would never leave home without her comb and lipstick. She loved bright colours and never wore black which is why family members decided not to wear black today.

Dympna loved getting out and really enjoyed going for a meal or just for a cup of tea and some confectionery. 

She was known in almost every cafe and coffee shop in Ballyshannon, Bundoran and Belleek and was particularly happy when she could get her tea in a china cup, as at home she only ever had it in a china cup as she said the tea tasted better out of it.

Another passion which she had, and which most people might not have been aware of, was motorbikes. She developed this interest when she was young when she had boyfriends who had motorbikes. 

Young at heart 

She said she found getting a spin on a motorbike to be 'exhilarating' and that she loved the roar of them. 

She was delighted on her 70th birthday when she got a spin to Donegal town with Louis Moran, a friend of son Liam, and was equally as excited when just last August one of her carers Mary Gavigan arranged a birthday present for her 92nd birthday of a spin on a motor trike.  She totally enjoyed her trip around the town.

Dympna was always young at heart and could relate to both young and old. She was rarely in bad form and was always smiling. 

She was game for anything and was thrilled when at the age of 87 when her granddaughter Sinead asked her to be one of her bridesmaids at her wedding.

Dympna was predeceased by her husband Richie and sisters Bernie and Cecilia. Dympna will be forever remembered by her sons, John, Pauric and Liam, daughters Anne and Marie, daughters-in-law Frances, Martina and Pauline, sons-in-law, Patrick and John.

She was much loved by her grandchildren, Niamh, Brian, James, Sinead, Sean, Aine, Aoife, Tara, Kate and Emma and great-grandchildren Megan, Ben, Rose, Cuán, Fiadh, Fionn and Nina.

She will be sadly missed by her brothers Joe and Pat Shiels, sister-in-law Bridget and Phil, brothers-in-law Fr. Herbie Bromley and Len Noyce, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family and friends to whom deepest sympathy is extended.

Following the Funeral Mass, burial took place in the adjoining cemetery.