‘We always thought dad worked for Santa...we’ll keep the magic going’

Growing up, Olivia Daly always believed that her dad, Oliver, worked for Santa.

“Dad was great with his hands and he made me and my brothers some wonderful handmade toys over the years,” says Olivia, who lost her dad in May this year.

“We always thought that he worked for Santa! We were sure of it.”

Ollie was also the greatest showman in East Cork.

Each year, he would light up his front garden with twinkling golden lights, bringing Santa and his reindeer to life, creating a magical winter wonderland.

“Our house and front garden became a place for people to come and see every year,” says Ollie’s wife, Sylvia.

“Ollie was a real Christmas person.”

Precious toys

Like all of Santa’s helpers, Ollie worked hard.

“Ollie made toys for our own gang, doll houses, garages, forts, wooden animals; the works,” says Sylvia.

“He got orders for his handmade toys all year round from people all around the country.

“Lighting up the house and garden for Halloween and Christmas was his thing for years,” says Sylvia.

Ollie got great satisfaction from his work. “

When everyone marveled at the fantastic display Ollie created, his face would light up.”

He lit up a lot of lives during his lifetime.

“Ollie loved children, and he worked tirelessly in the garden shed making his beloved toys for them,” says Sylvia.

“After he died, I got a lot of correspondence from people who are now adults who remembered getting and treasuring the precious toy that Ollie made for them.”

Santa’s helpers

Sylvia was one of Santa’s helpers too.

“Ollie wouldn’t go out to the shed without me,” says Sylvia, smiling.

The devoted couple were together for 70 years and married to each other for 66 years.

“I’d go out to the shed with Ollie to help him do the planning and the measuring.

“I’d bring out lengths of timber to him, and he’d work away for hours making wonderful wooden toys including the life-sized figure of Santa, Santa’s reindeer, and his sleigh, which was a sight to behold every year.”

This year things will be different. There will always be magic and joy to behold at the Daly homestead in Midleton though. The family know how to bring magic to life. They had a good teacher.

“I know the boys will try their best to continue their father’s tradition lighting up the garden for Christmas,” says Sylvia, talking about her sons, Fergus and Victor.

“Ollie left us a legacy of a wonderful gift.”

‘We won the jackpot’

What was it like growing up with Oliver as a dad.

“We won the jackpot with our parents,” says Olivia.

“We had an idyllic childhood. I remember dad making dolls houses and garages. I thought he worked for Santa.”

Olivia had a dolls house her father made complete with lights and then some.

“Dad made me a fabulous dolls house with working lights, and it had Youghal Carpet on the floors!

“At dad’s funeral my friends came up to me and said how they used to love the miniature tables and chairs dad made for my dolls house.”

Ollie understood everything about the most wonderful time of the year.

“Dad loved giving things to people, especially to children,” says Olivia.

“He made a set of ducks and a swan for my nieces and nephews that he hand-painted. He made all his grandchildren rocking horses that were a work of art.”

A work of art

Ollie’s front garden became a work of art.

“Twenty-eight or 30 years ago dad sent away to Dublin for plans to make a reindeer. One of his colleagues at the distillery told dad where to inquire about the plans. Dad, so talented with his own hands, always wanted to do more.”

Ollie, a man for all seasons, was before his time.

“Lighting up your house and garden 30 years ago was a very new thing,” says Olivia.

“Dad loved putting the lights together and erecting them in the garden. As kids, it was a magical time for us.

“When dad took down the snowman from the attic every year to touch him up with paint, we were so excited. That snowman and my rocking horse that dad made me are still in my attic.

“My brothers and I truly believed that our dad worked for Santa!”

Teaching his trade

As he got older, Ollie instructed his children in helping bring the magic to life.

“When dad got older and had to use a walking stick, he issued instructions to us out in the front garden,” says Olivia.

“He was very particular where the lights went for the best display and where Santa and his reindeers could best be seen especially for the children going and coming from school every day.”

Continuing his legacy

Ollie’s own children will continue with the magical world that Ollie created with his magical gifted hands.

And, at the most wonderful time of the year, the Daly children will create the winter wonderland for young and old to behold that Ollie created at his home for over 30 years.

“We just can’t not,” says Olivia.

“Dad would come back to haunt us!”

Has Olivia creative hands like her dad?

“I don’t,” she says.

“Although timber work is never alien to us.

“I am left- handed. But I am a good cook! My brother Victor is a sculptor.”

Ollie, who worked for Santa creating hand-made toys, lighting up his home and garden as well as lighting up people’s lives, was a one-off.

“He was the first man to sing in the church from the altar,” says Sylvia.

“People would go to Mass especially to hear him sing.”

People near and far sing Ollie’s praises.

They were privileged to know and experience the magic of the man who his children believed worked for Santa himself.

This story appeared in the 2025 Holly Bough .