Funeral of Bríd Dirrane, who was 109
Friday, 2 January 2004 19:51
The funeral of Ireland's second oldest woman, Bríd Dirrane, aged 109, took place today on Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands, where Bríd was originally from.
She passed away peacefully on New Year's Eve, at St Francis Nursing Home in Newcastle, Galway city, where she had been living for the last eight years.
Born in 1894, Ms Dirrane lived a very eventful life. She was imprisoned during the War of Independence; she canvassed for John F. Kennedy, after emigrating to Boston; and in 1996 her name was entered into the Guinness Book of Records after she became the oldest person in the world to be awarded an honorary degree, which she received from NUI, Galway.
Concelebrating her funeral mass today, Fr Connla Delaney spoke of the endless memories of her which will be treasured always by the many people who met and loved her throughout her long life.
The 'Woman of Aran', who wrote an autobiography at the age of 103, was finally laid to rest at Cill Éanna cemetery on Inis Mór, Árann, this afternoon.
