‘I still have the tiara’: Former Limerick winner of Housewife of the Year ahead of documentary

CORBALLY resident and 1995 Housewife of the Year (HOTY) Philomena Delaney wasn't the stereotypical winner of the competition in the 90's but says Ireland was on the cusp of change when she scooped the prestigious accolade almost 30 years ago.

Philomena along with ten other winners of the competition are the subject of the new documentary, ‘Housewife of the Year’ which is currently showing in select Irish cinemas.

She says: “In 1995, obviously, things were changing. I wasn't just a housewife, I also had a job... Some people might have opened B&Bs and different things. I didn't do any of that. I had my own job, and I just continued on with my career.”

The poignant film tells the story of Ireland’s treatment of women through the prism of a unique, surreal, live televised competition, where a generation of Irish women competed in front of a live audience for the title of ‘Housewife of the Year.’

In the film, the contestants share their direct experiences of the marriage bar, a lack of contraception, Magdalene laundries and financial vulnerability. It’s the story of a resilient generation of women and how they changed a country.

Despite some sad stories in the film, Philomena had an extremely positive experience winning the competition, saying it's only brought greatness into her life. “It was fantastic, and it was a huge honour. It was a major thing. It was like the Rose of Tralee, I suppose really.”

Philomena says the documentary is being received very well so far. “It was very sensitively done... I was half afraid at the start, I thought there'd be a backlash because it's so old fashioned.”

She feels the competition was hugely of its time and that it's very nostalgic for people to look back on. “The women's role has definitely, thankfully, changed, and it's 50/50 all the way now.”

Philomena is proud to be the final HOTY as the competition ended in 1995. She declares: “I still have the tiara, and I'm still reigning. This is what I say at the end of the movie and I said every housewife is housewife of the year.”

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She continues: “That's my claim to fame because everybody starts laughing then because my sister went to see it and she phoned me and she said ‘every one was in stitches when you said you're still reigning.’

Philomena's friend nominated her for HOTY because she wanted to win a gas cooker. “If you nominated the regional winner, you won a gas cooker so that was the driving force. That's why I entered the competition. I had never seen it on television. I didn't know anything about it,” explains the Cork native.

As the eldest girl of eleven children, Philomena has always been used to a busy household. “It was fairly hectic but it was good. I never knew anything else but children.”

As a result of scooping the HOTY award, she had to travel across Ireland performing cookery demos. “As soon as I won the competition, you were an ambassador for Calor, but then I was also an ambassador for Limerick.”

She showcased local food institutions at the demos. “I always got my fish in Sadlier's and Bella Italia always gave me the fresh pasta so you ended up being an ambassador for your city as well as Calor Coals and Gas.” At one of her cookery demos in Cork, a whopping 600 people attended.

Philomena often gave two cookery demos a week along with working part-time as a dental hygienist. “I was actually cooking for about 18 months up and down so I got really good at that, and I really enjoyed it and every demo was like a gig.”

“Once I had to take to the road, I was gone, and I had two small little girls at the time, and we got an au pair from Gran Canaria, Celia Herrera Ramirez... She became part of our family so she's the godmother now to the baby that's being christened on Saturday.”

Philomena said Celia visits Ireland every year, and her family also go to Gran Canaria every year. “There was loads of positive spins off (of the competition) but that was possibly the best one.”