By Paddy Walsh
It was the elevator that caused a lift for a Glenties family!
For as Mairead Cranley and members of her family stood in the foyer of the Villa Rose Hotel a few days before Christmas the lift doors opened and out stepped the surprise of her life.
There before their disbelieving eyes was brother, Declan Flannery, his partner, Maddie, and children, Neve and Erin – all the way from Australia where they were still supposed to be.
The Highland Radio ‘Nine til Noon’ show was being presented from the hotel lobby in Ballybofey and Mairead and other members of the family were not expecting the surprise the station had helped organise through Sales Manager, Sean Quinn.
“I’m still not over the shock and surprise of it,” Mairead insisted a couple of days following the Highland Radio event.
“I had been sick the whole week before, but this has been the best medicine yet,” she maintained.
Her husband, Vincent, who had been in on it from the start, told her that he had won a prize incorporating the spa in the Villa Rose Hotel and he was giving it to Mairead, her siblings, Helen Flannery and Michelle Boylan, and their mother Margaret. Mairead paid for Vincent’s mother, Ann Cranley, to join them on the day.
What they didn’t know was that upstairs in the hotel Declan and Co. had been closeted away and told not to venture outside for fear of someone identifying them and giving the game away.
As Greg Hughes and his team carried on with the festive edition of the Nine til Noon show, Mairead recalls seeing the lift door open in the hotel foyer.
“And the first person I saw was a girl and I thought, I recognise her. It took me a while but then I saw Declan step out from behind her.”
Mairead Cranley taking a selfie on the occasion of the family reunion at the Villa Rose Hotel before Christmas. Also included are her husband Vincent Cranley, Declan Flannery, Maddie Walker, Margaret Flannery, Michelle Boylan, Erin Flannery, Neve Flannery and Helen Flannery
And pretty soon the Melbourne foursome, Declan, his partner, Maddie, and daughters, Neve and Erin, were swamped in hugs and embraces and tears of joy and welcome.
“I don’t know how he did it but Vincent managed to keep it under wraps for a month.”
After flying into Carrickfin from Dublin Airport, Declan and family were escorted to Ballybofey. “They were treated like royalty the whole time.” Before the king of all surprises!
“He was home two years ago but we haven’t spent Christmas together since 1996.
“I couldn’t get over the height of the two girls – I should have worn my heels!,” Mairead smiled.
Their father, Tommy Flannery passed away very suddenly in May last and Declan hadn’t managed to return home. But it was arranged that the family would hold on to Tommy’s ashes until Declan returned next Christmas.
“Now we’ll be able to carry out a ceremony this year.”
Added Mairead: “Having them all home means so much. And since it was broadcast on Highland, messages have been coming in from over the place and the phone hasn’t stopped.‘We were due to have 19 for Christmas dinner but now it’s 23!.”
The Cranley home is set to be demolished early in the New Year due to defective blocks. “It will be the last time we’ll have Christmas in this house and everyone is getting a sledgehammer for a present to help with the demolition,” Mairead told Greg Hughes.
Speaking on the Highland show, Vincent heaped credit on Sean Quinn and his team. “They did an amazing job.”
But Vincent himself also did the impossible in keeping the surprise secret and managing to get the family members to gather in the Villa Rose on the appointed morning.
Sean Quinn told Greg it was a team effort and acknowledged the contribution of the Gallen Group who own the hotel, iMotors Car Dealership who provided transport, and two anonymous businessmen who contributed significantly to the venture.
Meanwhile, Mairead and family are building a modular unit on the back of their site while the house is being rebuilt.
But this family reunion certainly did its bit to help bring the house down…!
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