Szirmay was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1946. Fearing Russian repression after the Hungarian revolt, Szirmay's parents emigrated to New Zealand in 1957. Her step-father Frank Szirmay began his artistic career as a painter, but by the 1970s he gained a reputation as a sculptor of bronze figures. Frank Szirmay's most notable public sculptures include "Young Nick" (Gisborne), "Tangaroa" (Tauranga), and "The Spirit of Napier" (Napier).