Big celebrations as Dromore woman enjoys her 100th birthday

DESCRIBED as ‘a bit of a daredevil’ in her day and ‘great craic’, Tyrone woman Mary Christina Scott recently celebrated a symbolic milestone as she turned 100 years of age.

With celebrations in full swing on May 13 at the Melmount Manor Care Centre in Strabane, Mary spent the day celebrating with her loved ones, and even received a special visit from Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone Robert Scott OBE and Mayor of Derry City and Strabane Lilian Seenoi-Barr.

Amidst the festivities, Mary’s son David recalled his mothers colourful life, from growing up on a farm just outside Dromore, to working for many years as a nurse, and even enjoying motorbike rides well into her nineties.

“My mother was the youngest of three sisters and two brothers so is the only surviving sibling out them all,” explained David.

Mary was born in 1925 to Joseph and Elizabeth Gilmour.

“Her father fought in the first world war,” continued David. “Upon returning from the war, he had problems with his lungs and was sent to America for treatment.

“That would have been a big deal in those days, but sadly he died a young man in his 30s when my mother was still an infant.”

Mary’s mother Elizabeth raised her and siblings on the farm where they each took on their own jobs.

“Mum looked after the poultry,” recalled David. “They would have had hens, geese, ducks and turkeys every Christmas.”

Mary attended school in Mullaghbawn and later in Drumshiel before going on to train as a nurse.

“Whilst she was raised Presbyterian, she attended an integrated school and to this day she can still recite all her prayers in both English and Irish,” continued David. “Her and her sisters then went on to train as nurses. This was before the NHS was founded and my grandmother paid all the costs and fees involved in their training.”

Mary would go on to spend many years working as a nurse in Omagh before going on to train as a psychiatric nurse later in life when she spent many years working in the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.

In 1945 she married William Scott and they moved to England to work during World War II.

Upon returning to Ireland, they had three children – David, Sylvia and Lorna.

“Mum was always a bit of a daredevil and great craic overall,” said David. “She rode her bicycle well into her eighties and would have even got on the back of my motorbike with me well into her nineties.

“She was also the type of woman who could never pass a kids playground without wanting to have a go on the slide or the swings. She just always loved having a laugh.”

Throughout their life, Mary and William enjoyed much travelling.

“They would have taken a lot of bus trips before my father passed away in 1998,” explained David. “Throughout their life, they travelled all over the UK, Canada and America, where they would always meet plenty of strangers along the way and have great craic with them. They were always up for an adventure.”

So, what’s the secret to such a long and colourful life? David said that his mother never smoked or drank alcohol, and she worked hard throughout her life.

“She really enjoyed her work,” said David. “Her pride in her work always kept her going.

“Aside from nursing, her brother Joe kept the family farm running and she would have always helped him out until he passed away in 1985.

“Even right up until Joe’s final year, mum took care of him.”

Mary and William’s legacy now lives on in their 11 grandchildren and ‘even more’ great-grandchildren.

“She’s still very mentally alert,” said David. “She still does her crossword puzzles and reads the Ulster Herald every week.”