Interviewed by Richard Delaney / photos by Dorothy Hughes

Richard: How long have you lived in the area?
Kitty: Around 20 years.

Richard: What’s a fond memory you have of living here?
Kitty: A fond memory is my son opening up a shop and then, a couple years later, opening a pub.

Richard: Have you seen this community come back from hard times before?
Kitty: Yes, when Covid hit Tullaroan the pubs were closed and you couldn’t talk to anyone. But now the pubs are open and you can chat with people again.

Richard: What are some things that have helped you through lockdown and what brings you joy?
Kitty: The grandkids, family and the shop helped because if I’m not going out, I will get bored not doing anything.

Richard: What does community mean to you? What sort of things are you doing now to stay connected to your community and family?
Kitty: I stay connected by just working in the pub and the shop, and chatting to people for a few minutes.

Richard: What message do you want to share for yourself and this community in 10 years time?
Kitty: I don’t really have anything to say, maybe just ‘Hi” to myself in the future.

Pictured below is Richard’s creative response to his interview with Kitty- a repurposed Gin bottle made into a flower vase. Also shown are images from Kitty’s shoot with Dorothy.

Kitty Delaney