100 years young: Navan centenarian celebrates milestone with family

Football and gardening are two of Lily Carberry's passions, and last week she was in her element as she was showered with blossoms and found herself at the receiving end of a visit from Meath footballer, Geraldine Doherty of the county women's team. Geraldine didn't come empty-handed on her visit to Millbury Nursing Home in Navan - she had a very important delivery to make, a letter and bounty from the President, Mary McAleese, to Mrs Carberry, to mark her 100th birthday on Friday. Family, relatives and friends gathered at the Commons Road nursing home to mark the centenary of the Wilkinstown native, who was born Lily Curran 100 years ago, to parents Frank and Mary. She was one of a family of four girls and a boy, and her father worked on the farm, pub and general store at Tiernan's of Wilkinstown. After completing her education, the young Lily worked in a number of places before finding long-term employment in the Club Hotel at Bridge Street, Navan, later the Russell Arms Hotel and now the Newgrange Hotel. And while these days, youngsters might find romance in the hotel's Solar nightclub, it was working in the hotel that Lily met her match - Peter Carberry, from Macetown, who also worked in the hotel. Among those who joined Mrs Carberry on her 100th birthday was Sr Therese Mullen from Mullingar, a member of the Mullen family who ran the hotel back then. As far back as 1946, Mrs Carberry can recall cycling to Croke Park with her late husband - she was football-mad and has attended almost every All-Ireland final that Meath have played in. They were married in 1946 and, from 1952, lived in St Mary's Park in the town. They had a family of two - Margaret Clogher, who now lives in Bohermeen, and Frank, a former Fianna Fail town councillor in Navan. Peter Carberry died in 1987, and Mrs Carberry moved to Bohermeen in 2000, living with Margaret for nine years until she became the first resident in Millbury Nursing Home 15 months ago. Geraldine Doherty, who presented the sports-mad centenarian with the President's cheque, plays for St Ultan's and was a neighbour in Bohermeen. On Friday, family and well-wishers gathered with Mrs Carberry in Millbury, including her grandchildren, Keith and Louise, and great grandson, Adam, as well as nieces, nephews, relatives and neighbours from the town and further afield. She was surrounded by flowers and cards, and spent the afternoon studying the messages on the many cards and enjoying her birthday cake.