By Richard Stoker

Port Douglas Neighbourhood Community Centre manager and Secretary of Douglas Theatre Arts Group, Siobhan Delgado, sits down for a chat with Newsport contributor Richard Stoker.

On the 1st January 2016, Siobhan Delgado celebrated 20 years of marriage to her chef husband, Manuel. The two grew up together in the village of Clondalkin which is a suburb of Dublin.

Standing 6’2” tall, Manuel is as Irish as a giant Leprechaun whose linage traces back to Spain. During the ‘90’s, Manny and Siobhan frequented Spain for the various festivals, and they especially enjoyed the ‘Fiesta de San Fermin’ for the ‘Running of the Bulls’.

The couple first visited Australia on a working holiday in 1989-90 and discovered they liked our environment.  The New Millennium found them working for a couple of years in Perth WA, having obtained their Skill Based Residency. They spent most of 2003 to 2008 in Broome, where they’d purchased their home unit on the internet.

In 2005 the Delgados obtained their Australian Citizenship. Every now and then they return to Ireland to visit their families and stayed from 2008 to 2010. However, the call of the Great Southern Land and FNQ was too strong.

They have one daughter who attended Port Douglas Primary School, and then Mossman State high school.

Siobhan worked at UCC (United Care Community Life Line), mostly dealing with compulsive gamblers. She then transferred to YETI (Youth Empowerment Towards Independence), where she remained for 2½ years. Both of these occupations meant driving down to Cairns each working day.

While this was occurring Siobhan helped out with local community events as needed.  She voluntarily served behind the bar of the Clink Theatre and joined the committee of DTAG (Douglas Theatre Arts Group) and was its secretary for two years. Additionally, she and her daughter performed in several plays at the Clink Theatre. Siobhan is also an exponent of martial arts and additionally, regularly rides a pushbike for the exercise.

Rather than drive to Cairns each day, Siobhan joined the staff of PDNC (Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre), initially working in family support for four days a week, while continuing one day a week at YETI. In 2011 Siobhan returned to full time studies while yet working a full five days a week. In 2013 however, she temporarily resigned her position as Secretary of DTAG.

After only two years at the Neighbourhood Centre, Siobhan rose to become its manager. Also as necessary, the centre staff work weekends and evenings on a voluntary basis: For example children’s face painting at community events and preparing the float for Carnivale. Also at the Neighbourhood Centre, Manuel helps out with the gardening and the heavy lifting.

Siobhan is back as secretary of DTAG, and is again ‘treading the boards ‘in the Clink’s up-coming production of ‘Grease’, which commences its run on March 29. She sings, dances and acts the integral part of Miss Lynch, the English school mistress.

Otherwise, there isn’t a nicer way to spend a balmy FNQ evening than with the Delgados and a bottle of Irish whisky and Spanish wine, listening wide-eyed to tales of fairy rings at the bottom of the garden which little children should avoid, lest they be carried off by the fairies. And how the Banshee wailed the night before both Siobhan’s grandfather and great grandfather died, and how the montage of a woman on horseback in the mist, left her brother ashen faced.

One may wonder if these tales beg the question; Has Siobhan kissed the Blarney Stone? 

Tickets are now available for Grease and can be purchased here: Grease Tickets

Also *WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO GREASE @Clink Theatre. For your chance to win simply comment below with your favourite Grease Character.

1st Prize: Double pass to the Grease opening night on Tuesday, March 29th
2nd Prize: Double pass to Grease on Friday April 1st

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