Barbara Scully, a Dublin-based performer, has embarked on her sixth career as a standup comedian and comic storyteller after turning 60, illustrating a late-life reinvention driven by resilience and self-discovery. Now 64, Scully tours Ireland with her one-woman show Because I’m Worth It, attracting audiences of up to 200 people. The show challenges societal attitudes toward ageing, particularly for women, encouraging them to embrace the process rather than resist it.
Scully’s prior careers include travel agent, word-processing tutor, fundraiser, stay-at-home parent, and author-broadcaster. Her latest transition into comedy followed a difficult period marked by unemployment and the challenges of re-entering the workforce after a decade-long career break to raise her children. Citing difficulties in securing work at age 50 despite a substantial resume, she recalled a moment of despair when she found herself unable to access social welfare support, sitting in her car and feeling “washed up.”
Determined to move forward, Scully drew on her passion for writing and speaking, skills honed through fundraising and media work. Over the next decade, she developed a freelance career that included newspaper opinion pieces, authoring the 2022 book Wise Up: Power, Wisdom and the Older Woman, and appearing as a panellist on Irish chat shows such as Midday and Elaine. She also co-hosts an agony aunt segment on Newstalk’s Seán Moncrieff show.
Her shift into comedy began unexpectedly after being invited by founders of an Irish chapter of the women’s comedy community Funny Women. Initially asked to promote a show, she was instead invited to participate as a performer. To maintain the performance’s momentum, Scully transformed a chapter from her book on smear tests into a comedic sketch, discovering the energizing power of live audience laughter.
This experience led to her creation of the one-woman show, which she first performed at a hotel event in December 2024 before touring smaller venues throughout 2025. Scully perceives menopause not as an end but as a gateway to a rewarding stage of life, countering widespread negative narratives.
Reflecting on her background, Scully described growing up in a male-dominated Dublin household with three brothers and other male relatives. Her height and presence set her apart early on, prompting her to develop a strong voice and sense of identity. Today, she feels a connection between her younger self and her current outlook, embracing a future defined by freedom and self-expression rather than societal expectations.
Scully’s journey highlights a broader message about aging, creativity, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment beyond conventional career paths, especially for women navigating later life transitions.