At 97, Ella calls it a day

By Paul Pickering
AT 97, Ella Brennan decided it was finally time to start listening to her doctor.
After 32 years of competitive lawn bowls, Ella rolled her final end at the Dandenong City Bowling Club last month.
“My doctor kept telling me I had to give it up,” Ella explained.
“He said, ‘don’t bruise your body’, but he’s been telling me that for three or four years.”
Some of Ella’s long-time clubmates urged her to keep going, but, in her words, “old age catches up with you.”
“A few people said, ‘don’t give it up, you can still bowl’, but I thought I have to do what the doctor tells me sometime,” she said.
“I’ll miss it, I know that. It’s a lovely club and everybody is very friendly.”
Ella moved to Dandenong in 1951 and joined the club in a bid to make some new friends in the area.
She is now known as ‘the lady of the club’ at Dandenong City – a title that speaks volumes of her popularity.
“I’ve made a lot of friends, not only at Dandenong but when we play pennant we go everywhere and make friends at other clubs.”
When Ella decided to call it quits, bowlers from across the region made the trip to Dandenong City for a lavish party in her honour.
Club vice-president Ted Birdsey is among those who have marvelled at Ella’s youthful spirit and independence.
“Everyone who meets her from the other clubs says she’s just marvellous,” he said.
“She’s a lovely lady, and there’s no one that doesn’t like her.”
Ted said Ella has been an inspiration to her peers.
“She’s shown everyone that you can keep on going as long as you wish,” he said.
Ella has been a handy bowler too, having won seven club championships – including five consecutive wins in the pairs competition with partner Denise Eastick.
The secret to Ella’s longevity has been a vow to remain active.
“I do all my own housework, a bit of gardening and I walk down to the plaza to do my shopping,” she explained.
While Ella will now be sitting out the traditional competitions, she plans to continue playing bowls socially in the indoor format.