Delight as Nan celebrates 100th birthday with family

THERE was a great buzz in Greenfield Home in Strabane last night as resident Nan Donaghey, celebrated her 100th birthday.

Hailing from Claudy, Nan grew up the only girl with eight brothers. She was a farm girl and was well-versed in the rural life, getting up early to help tend to the animals.

In her early 20s, Nan met and married Jim, a Dunamanagh native, and the young couple moved to the Tyrone village to begin a life of their own.

Swapping one farm for another, Nan spent her life working hard on the farm and raising her nine children and, according to her daughter Bridget, was ‘always in great form.’

Bridget also pointed out, “Mum was always as sharp as a lance, nothing ever got past her and she’s still the same, to this day.”

Now in her centenary year, Nan celebrated her special day with her mammoth brood, consisting of her nine children, 20 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Covid restrictions meant that the celebrations could only take place between 6.30-8pm.

However, as long as Nan has her family around her, and a wee bit of Daniel O’Donnell blaring out for her birthday, it is obvious she’s celebrated in style.

Asked what Nan’s secret is to her longevity, Bridget offered, “I would say that plain living and plain eating have their part to play. Mum never really drank either, but she does enjoy the occasional wee snowball which I’m sure has contributed.”

In a quirky twist Eileen Casey, who is the mother of Nan’s son-in-law Gerry (Bridget’s husband), also celebrated her 100th birthday in August, something to which Bridget remarked, “It’s unusual for that to happen and quite the coincidence. Clearly Mum and Eileen are made of sterner stuff!”