In Loving Memory of Rita Kelly – James’ Street Resident & Friend

In Loving Memory of Rita Kelly – James’ Street Resident & Friend

Rita Kelly

A Life-long James’s Street Resident

Dedicated worker with Franciscan Order on Merchant’s Quay  

On Sunday afternoon at 4pm Margret Rita Kelly Delaney passed away. A true Dubliner, who lived her entire life on James Street. I had a lot in common with Rita. We both liked a laugh, a good night out and a bit of craic.

Rita was born in James’s Street in 1934. She had many stories to tell, both fact and folklore, as she lived through many of the city’s great changes. She would hold our attention as children with tales of the headless-horseman at the bottom of the forty steps and the Robbers Den on Bow lane.

She also would tell stories of encounters she had with local characters from the area. A well known one was her daily encounter with the young Brendan Grace. Every morning while working as a shop assistant on Echlin Street, Brendan would come in and say “Give us an apple Rita? I’ve had no breakfast”; and turning a blind eye, she would reply “go on, I didn’t see yea”.

Rita also remembered encounters with the Guinness family when they lived on the street.

She worked in Adam & Eve’s Church on Merchants Quay with Fr. Angelis her entire adult life. They were great friends and she always held him close to her heart.

She is survived by her brother Pat and her sister Antoinette, her nephews Anthony, Gary, Derek, Darren, Frank, and Brian and nieces Julieann, Tina and Audrey.

She will be dearly missed by her friends. I’ll truly miss her because not only was she my friend she was my auntie.

Take care auntie Rita, see you on the other side.

Gary