Generation game for the Geraghtys... 70 years married and an amazing family legacy

JIMMY GEOGHEGAN

Recently Ann and John Geraghty - who lived in Longwood and Clonard at various times in their lives - celebrated their wedding anniversary. It was happy, poignant event for the Geraghty clan in many ways but there was one problem.

The family members were unable to find a suitable card in any shop that showed the very significant milestone their parents had reached - and that reality demanded some imaginative thinking.

"It was brilliant to be able to mark the anniversary with both of them there, but we couldn't get a card for a 70th wedding anniversary, they don't make them. There is nobody married for 70 years these days it seems," said Marian Geraghty, who is the second eldest of 13 children raised by Ann and John (or Sean as he was more widely known). “We had to go on the internet to have a card made instead.”

A central piece of the anniversary celebrations was a Mass celebrated in the church at St Camillus Nursing Home in Killucan, where Ann (87) and John (91) now reside. Up to 12 members of the Geraghty clan were allowed to attend the Mass - but only for Covid restrictions it is highly likely the whole church would have had to be reserved for family members.

As as well 13 children of their own, Ann and John have 63 grandchildren and 92 great grandchildren. But that's not all. They also have 14 great, great grandchildren ensuring that the family name in the south Meath area and beyond is not going to fade out anytime soon.

Ann grew up Ann Ayers in the Hill of Down area. She worked in the local Langan estate house at Mount Hevey, Hill of Down. When she was a youngster she spotted a young man from nearby Longwood, who obviously made an impression on her.

"My parents first saw each other when Mammy was only 12 and Daddy was 16. Mammy was picking blackberries at the side of the road and Daddy passed by on a bicycle. That was what we heard all through the years," adds Marian.

"Mammy would have been about 15 or 16 and my Dad was 19 or 20 when they started going with each other. That would be in 1949. The thing is my mother is from a family of 13, as is my father, and they went on to have 13 children themselves."

Of course 1949 was the year Meath won the Sam Maguire for the first time - and it proved to be a successful match between Ann Ayers and John Geraghty. They were married in 1951 - and the couple went about the formidable task of raising their ever growing family. The Geraghtys lived in Longwood for a time before moving to Clonard.

"We lived in Clongriffin, Longwood until I was seven and all of us who were born up to then and were old enough went to Longwood school," recalls Marian. "We had no electricity at first and we would sit around the fire in the evenings, telling ghost stories. My father worked in Bord na Mona but there was only one wage coming into the house. We didn't have much but we had what we needed. I always had a happy life with them, always. We moved to Clonard when I was seven but no matter where we were we were happy, that's the important thing.

"My mother stayed at home looking after her children, cooking, cleaning so we always had that stability that is so vital for youngsters growing up. My father continued to work in Bord na Mona until he retired. My mother worked in St Joseph's Trim, when her family was raised. They were busy, hard-working people, always."

Now in their golden years Ann and John live in close proximity to each other in St Camillus' - and while some imaginative thinking was needed to get a card to mark their recent anniversary the problem was solved. Another significant milestone was marked in the life and times of a truly remarkable couple.