He grew up in the town of Longford and spent many of his summers at Tarmonbarry, County Roscommon where the family lived on a houseboat, the 'La Vague II'.
He learned how to sail from his father, Dr. Vincent S. Delany, and from a family employee Michael Donlon.
Much of his early training took place on the Delany family Lough Erne, Fairy 'Oberon'.
[1] He competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics at Torquay in the Swallow class, sailing with Hugh Allen in a boat called 'Cloud'.
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