Peg Maher had always dreamt of joining the circus, especially after seeing the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus come to town in the 1940s, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.

On her 90^th birthday, it came true.

Peg Maher always loved seeing the circus train pass through Darby each Memorial Day.

She once threatened to run away to the acrobats, clowns, and lion tamers after being punished as a young girl. The idea became the running family joke.

Fortunately, that never happened, though she never lost sight of her dream.

Her second date with her future husband was the movie, “The Greatest Show on Earth.”  She later married James Gallagher, a Marine veteran, Navy Cross, and Purple Heart who was in the Korean War.  

The couple settled down in Darby in 1953 and raised nine children.

To celebrate her 90^th, her children, 23 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and other relatives dressed in circus attire, bringing the Big Top to her birthday celebration.

With tears of joy, Peg stepped onto her son and daughter-in-law’s Aston patio, surrounded by her family of clowns, jugglers, and acrobats.

 “A dream come true,” Gallagher gushed.

Read more at the Daily Times about Peg Maher and her birthday circus dream come true.

Catch the final performance of the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus on May 21, 2017.