Background
When her father died in 1924, Delia sold the land and moved to Loughrea.
When her father died in 1924, Delia sold the land and moved to Loughrea.
She was the Mayor of Galway from 1980 to 1981 and again from 1985 to 1986. O'Flaherty was one of five children born to Patrick Lawless and Delia Laffy of Bullaun, Loughrea. At age sixteen she moved to Galway, working at the Great Southern Hotel.
She became a well-known businesswoman, opening a canteen on the city's Fairgreen for farmers and dealers. A shop in Mervue was later expanded into a successful mini-supermarket. Approached by Bobby Molloy to run in the 1964 elections, she failed to secure a seat by thirteen votes, but succeeded in 1969, and became Mayor in 1980 and 1985.
O'Flaherty's daughter Terry was mayor of Galway from 2003 to 2004 and again beginning in 2012.