Birthday girl Bridget (106) is toast of Loughduff
The remarkable Bridget Tierney from Loughduff was the toast of the parish of Mullahoran today when she celebrated her 106th birthday.
She has nine children, 30 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and three great, great-grandchildren, all of whom visited her at various times over the weekend to help celebrate another milestone.
Bridget attributes her longevity partly to never drinking nor smoking, together with eating wholesome fresh food.
As an illustration of her lovely sense of humour, Bridget sometimes would pretend to the family that she had taken up smoking – no fear of that – this woman was not for turning.
There was never anything processed on Bridget's menu and, when her son Vincent cooks the dinner, she will taste the fresh cabbage to see if it is fully cooked.
Bridget also has to give the cooking of the carrots her imprimatur of approval with a smile.
Vincent loves to include his mother when it comes to cooking and they make a great team in the kitchen.
Bridget likes to keep abreast of the news and her brilliant active mind allows her the wonderful facility of being able to recite poetry she learned during her school days.
All the neighbours would visit Bridget over the years and they always enjoyed her relaxed sense of humour and sound advice.
Her daughter Kitty Cullen says it is always a pleasure to visit her mother who “brings a sense of calmness and happiness to our lives”.
Pandemics are nothing new to Bridget Tierney and she was glad to report that she got her second vaccine shot just over a month ago.
Bridget gets up around 10.30am in the morning and goes to bed shortly after 10pm and, while she does not do much cooking any more, she is only too delighted to wash up the dishes afterwards.
They may talk about All Ireland medals in Cavan in the past, but the legendary Bridget has now racked up a total of six medals from President Michael Higgins and they have all been accompanied by lovely complimentary letters.
Another real highlight for Bridget was the First Friday mass in the house, celebrated by Fr P.J. Hughes.
“It was lovely – it was just like the stations in the houses long ago,” said Bridget. Her daughter Kitty enthused: “Fr Hughes said really special and insightful things about mammy – it was just lovely.”
Bridget's six daughters and three sons were all present together with two sister-in-laws and they did the readings and sang the hymns.
Hard work on the farm was no stranger to this 106 year old, and while she never milked cows, she was up for all other types of work including helping her late husband Patrick with the hay making. He passed away in 1983 at the age of 65 years.
Happy birthday Bridget from all in The Anglo-Celt!