Meet Laurence Daly – 2025 Positive Ageing Week Local Hero

Originally from Kerry, Laurence keeps busy with Meals 4 Health volunteering, neighbourly spirit, and a belief that staying involved keeps you young.

Laurence was born in the beautiful county of Kerry. His life’s journey took him to England as a child, and later to Jersey, before returning home to Ireland in 1981. Now retired and living in Galway City, he has found great purpose and joy in staying active and giving back to his community.

Since 2020, he has been volunteering with COPE Galway, delivering meals to clients of the Meals4Health social enterprise three days a week. These visits are more than just deliveries – they’re moments of connection, conversation, and care. He also lends a hand at the Ballinfoile Castlegar Neighbourhood Centre, helping with maintenance and daily activities, and taking part in fitness classes, walking football, pickleball, and a local walking group.

Every fortnight, Laurence helps run the Active Retired Community Lunch Club, where he shares a meal, plays bingo, and occasionally enjoys live music or a day trip. Gardening is another passion of his, and he loves helping older neighbours tend to their gardens. Laurence is also involved in his local Residents’ Association, where he manages their Text Information Scheme and volunteers as a steward at his local church and at Galway Cathedral during the Annual Novena.

Laurence believes that “staying active and helping others keeps you young at heart. Volunteering gives me more chances to connect, stay involved, and enjoy life. There’s plenty of fun, purpose, and good company to be found at every age.”

Ó Chiarraí ó dhúchas, coinníonn Laurence gnóthach le hobair dheonach le Meals 4 Health, spiorad comharsanachta, agus creideamh go gcoinníonn an rannpháirtíocht duine óg.

Rugadh Laurence i gcontae álainn Chiarraí, agus thug a thuras saoil go Sasana é mar leanbh, agus ina dhiaidh sin go Jersey, sular fhill sé abhaile go hÉirinn i 1981. Anois, tá sé ar scor agus ina chónaí i gCathair na Gaillimhe, áit a mbaineann sé an-sásamh as a bheith gníomhach agus ag cabhrú le daoine sa bpobal.

Ó 2020 i leith, tá sé ag obair go deonach le COPE Gaillimh, ag seachadadh béilí do chliaint an fhiontair shóisialta Meals4Health trí lá sa tseachtain.Tá níos mó i gceist leis na cuairteanna seo ná seachadadh béilí – is deis iad do nascadh, comhrá agus cúram. Tugann sé cúnamh freisin ag Ionad Comharsanachta Bhaile an Phoill, Caisleán an Ghearr, ag cabhrú le cothabháil agus gníomhaíochtaí laethúla, agus ag glacadh páirte i ranganna aclaíochta, peil siúil, picil-bhall, agus grúpa siúil áitiúil.

Gach coicís, cuidíonn Laurence le Club Lóin Pobail na Scoir Gníomhaí a reáchtáil, áit a roinneann sé béile, imríonn sé bingo, agus a mbaintear taitneamh as ceol beo nó turas lae ó am go chéile. Is paisean eile dá chuid é an ghairdínéireacht, agus is breá leis cabhrú le comharsana níos sine aire a thabhairt dá ngairdíní. Tá Laurence páirteach freisin ina Chumann Áitritheoirí áitiúil, áit a mbainistíonn sé a Scéim Faisnéise Téacs agus a dhéanann obair dheonach mar mhaor ina eaglais áitiúil agus in Ardeaglais na Gaillimhe le linn na Nóibhéine Bliantúla.

Creideann sé “go gcoinníonn fanacht gníomhach agus cabhrú le daoine eile óg i gcroí tú. Tugann obair dheonach níos mó deiseanna dom ceangal a dhéanamh, fanacht páirteach, agus taitneamh a bhaint as an saol. Tá neart spraoi, cuspóir, agus dea-chomhluadar le fáil ag gach aois.”