Cavan and Ireland's oldest citizen Bridget passes away in her 109th year
Cavan and Ireland's oldest citizen Bridget Tierney (nee Reilly) from Loughduff has passed away in her 109th year.
The remarkable Bridget lived through two world wars and three pandemics. This noble lady was much loved and respected in Loughduff, the wider Cavan area and further afield.
Born on July 5, 1915, Bridget from Drumgore left this world peacefully yesterday (Wednesday), February 28, peacefully in the tender care of her very devoted family.
Bridget assumed the title of Ireland's oldest living person in January of this year following the death of Kitty Jeffrey, aged 109.
She was pre-deceased by her husband Patrick in 1983; also her son Vincent, daughter Patricia and brother-in-law Joe; her brothers James and Sonny and her sister Elizabeth.
Bridget lived through some of the biggest events in Irish history, bearing witness to some of the turbulent events of the Irish War of Independence, the “dreadful times” of the Civil War, and she recalled walking to Granard as a child to see Michael Collins speak.
Bridget is sadly missed by her adoring family - her daughters Mary, Margaret, Pauline, Betty and Kitty; sons John and Tom; sons-in-law John Joe, Peter, John Joe and Colm; daughters-in-law Maureen and Eileen; her 30 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren; her sister Kathleen, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, her close neighbours and friends.
Bridget will repose at her home in Drumgore on Thursday, February 29, from 5pm-10pm and on Friday, March 1, from 1pm-4.30pm, all welcome during these hours. Removal to St Joseph's Church Loughduff (H12F968) on Friday evening to arrive for 8pm. Bridget's funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 2, at 12pm, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. (A shuttle bus service will be in operation from Loughduff Church carpark on both evenings).
The Celt last caught up with Bridget and her family in Loughduff in July when she celebrated her 108th birthday surrounded by her family who regarded her as their "angel".
She celebrated her special day with all the family including her scores of grandchildren with a party outdoors.
“She’s as happy as Larry up there once she has the children around her. She’s healthy and in great form,” her son Tom told the Celt at the time.
Referring to her 108 years and counting, Tom said “it was hard work with her all the time” revealing how Bridget reared nine children while working on the family farm tending to cattle, pigs and hens.
The Tierney family, with the help of neighbours, looked after Bridget in her Loughduff home.
Bridget, who never travelled outside of Ireland credited her long life to "never eating anything out of a tin and always staying calm".
Indeed until about a year ago Bridget could be found in her kitchen in Loughduff making a loaf of potato boxty from scratch for her family who lived nearby. She lit the fire everyday, rain or shine as she liked to keep the house warm.
Among her hobbies, Bridget liked reminiscing on the past and reciting poetry, her favourite of which was ‘A Noble Boy’ written by Mary Dow Brine in 1878.
“It’s a poem she learned about a hundred years ago when she went to school,” said her son Tom.
He and the family were “very proud” of their mother.
May Bridget rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.
* Additional words from Lorraine Teevan