‘I hope everyone gets to turn 100, it’s great fun!’

It has become something of a tradition out around Gibbstown way for the local community to celebrate in style when one of their own reaches a significant milestone - and they did it again on New Year's Day when local people came out in force to mark the 100th birthday of Vincent Garvey.

Usually the celebration consists of a birthday bash of one kind or another in the local hall but 2020 was, of course, a year like no other and another approach was taken. This time they marked Vincent's big day with difference - a birthday drive-by.

The renowned teacher, farmer, Gaeilgeoir and historian was able to watch from the front of the local hall and wave as a stream of neighbours and friends went past in their vehicles. In this year of all years, it was the only sensible way for Vincent to be connected with members of the local community - and they with him.

It all started when the cars and jeeps gathered at Oristown Church at around 12.30pm before travelling in convoy to the nearby Halla Baile Ghib - with horns blaring, people waving flags and arms out in greeting; the noise and the numbers a powerful manifestation of the affection he is held in the community.

The choice of venue for the staging of this birthday bash with a difference was highly appropriate as Vincent had made his own distinctive contribution to ensure that the community centre or Halla Baile Ghibb was built - and he is still a trustee.

Former pupil of Maistir Garvey Peadar Farrelly acted as MC and announced the arrival of neighbours, families and friends, some of whom paid tributes from the safety of their cars. Retired Garda John O'Dwyer kept the procession of well wishers moving through the grounds of Halla Baile Ghib.

Taking the microphone himself, Vincent wished everyone present a very happy new year, adding that he hoped all present would reach 100. "It's great fun," he added with a smile!

"Normally the community holds a celebration for anybody who hits a 100 with a big spread in the local hall with community members and family members present," explained daughter Treasa Ward. "Dad was disappointed it wasn't going to happen this year but when the plans were changed all he could talk about then was the big party drive by.

"He is very excited and very grateful to reach 100 because he never expected it," added Treasa. "My mother was 78 when she died in 2003 but he wouldn't allow us to put concrete on the grave because he said 'I'll be in there myself in a year or two'. He was convinced he would be joining her soon after."

Vincent Garvey grew up in Kerry between Ballyferriter and Dingle. He was one of eight in a family that moved in the late 1930s from Kerry to settle in the new Gaelteacht of Baile Ghib that was then being established. Young Vincent was bright and industrious and studied to be a national school teacher.

It was while he was staying in an aunt's house in Dublin that he met a young Kerry woman, Ann or Nancy, as she became known. She also resided in the house. They didn't meet before they came to Dublin, although members of their respective families knew each other.

"They shared digs in his aunt's house and there was clearly a bit of fun between them because my mother used to joke how she used to iron shirts with him so that he could go out with other women. They got to know each other and fell madly in love," recalls Treasa.

Vincent, who smoked for a time but has never got into the habit of drinking alcohol, worked as a teacher briefly in Slane, then Inchicore for five years. He returned to Meath to help out his parents run their farm and had spells in Fletcherstown NS and Wilkinstown NS before he landed the job of principal of Scoil Ultain Naofa, Gibbstown - and there he stayed until retirement.

Nancy moved down to Meath also and she and Vincent were to go on to have nine children, all of them brought up in the home where his parents had first settled when they came from Kerry.

As well as his duties as 'An Maistir," Vincent was also busy running the small family farm, a cow or two and a herd of cattle. He was also fascinated in history and would bring anyone interested on local, history-themed tours to places such as the ancient site of the Tailteann Games in Teltown.

"Dad was always a very hard worker, very supportive of his children, still is, he wanted to make sure that all his children got a good education so he never shirked any responsibility in that regard. He would put himself under a lot of pressure to get his family educated," recalls Treasa.

"I'm the seventh in the family and I always remember him as very loving and very supportive. He could be cross at times because he was, after all, the maistir and if I didn't have my spellings done or my homework completed I'd have to come up with an answer for that.

"I do remember as a child sitting on his knee and he was playing the game of putting his fingers on my nose and cheek and pretending to snap them off, I was quite young but I have a very strong memory of that."

While Vincent wasn't a big GAA man he did keep a keen eye on how Kerry was doing and Meath, especially during those years when his grandson Cian Ward, was a regular wearer of the green and gold.

Cian too has his own distinctive memory of his grandad. "We always enjoyed hearing his stories over the years, particularly of his early upbringing in Kerry, and of course the great love of gaeilge he has. We’ve learned many quotes from him over the years!

"He has always been a pillar in our family, and his home was always a welcoming and safe place for all of our family. He has lived his life with honesty, integrity and generosity. He has earned the admiration and respect of a great number of people because of the person he is and his actions over a long and well lived life. We all feel very lucky and proud of a dad, grandad and great grandad!

Vincent was saddened when his great friend and neighbour Fintan Ginnity passed away in 2019. Fintan's wife Peig and Nancy Garvey were sisters.

Treasa points out that a characteristic of her father when she was a child is that he just got on with things, uncomplainingly - and he's still very much the same. He loves to keep busy especially in his beloved garden - and there's no sign of him hanging up the spade just yet.

"He planted all the potatoes we ate last summer and he was even out the other day digging in the garden again," she adds. "My brother Michael gave him a wheelbarrow for Christmas, one with two wheels, the other one he was using has gone a big wobbly now! The gardening is very important to him, he's very dedicated to it."

A friendly and affable man Vincent Garvey is also, in normal times, a regular Mass-goer with his faith one of the cornerstones of his life.

Vincent became integral part of the local community in Gibbstown. He is a man highly respected for all sorts of reasons not least because of the contribution he has made to the local community, something that was clearly evident in the rousing reception he received from friends and neighbours in that birthday drive-by in his beloved Baile Ghib.