There were celebrations aplenty in West Kerry this past weekend as a very special lady, Mary Bean Uí Bheaglaoi from Baile an Mhúraigh in Iarthar Dhuibhneach, celebrated 100 bliain ag fás.
Hailing from Baile an Chnocáin in Iarthar Dhuibhneach, Ms (Nic Eoin) Uí Bheaglaoi has friends the length and breadth of Corca Dhuibhne and beyond.
Up to 60 people attended a special gathering in the West Kerry Community Hospital last Saturday to celebrate the milestone, with live music, set dancing, craic agus comhluadar a plenty.
Born in 1925, Ms Uí Bheaglaoi, as many of her counterparts did at the time, emigrated to Chicago.
She came home when her brother became ill, and while home, she met and married her husband, Tom Ó Beaglaoi.
They settled in Baile an Mhúraigh, where they farmed the land and raised four children, Eileen, twins Curnie and Tommie, and Diarmuid.
Ms Uí Bheaglaoi has nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and welcomes a constant stream of visitors to Ionad Eilibhís in the West Kerry Community Hospital.
Ms Uí Bheaglaoi loves bingo and set-dancing and the many activities organised at the West Kerry Community Hospital in Daingean Uí Chúis.
She is a big fan of Hello Magazine, and the Irish Examiner is her favourite newspaper.
She is looking forward to Christmas with her family in Corca Dhuibhne and was particularly delighted to receive a special letter from an tUachtarán Michael D Higgins congratulating her on reaching the extraordinary milestone of 100 years of age.
When asked what the secret to a long and healthy life is, Ms Uí Bheaglaoi replied, with a glint in her eye, "hard work and milking the cows!"
