Ruby Druce, who is believed to be Ireland's oldest person, is celebrating her 109th birthday today.
A native of Castlefinn, Co Donegal, Mrs Druce has lived through two world wars and two global pandemics.
She has never smoked or drank, apart from a drop of poitín when she caught the Spanish flu in 1918.
Born on New Year's Eve 1915, to George Crawford and Elizabeth (née McBride), Mrs Druce was the eldest of five children.
Her husband passed away 54 years ago.
She lost two siblings to the Spanish flu more than 100 years ago.
The lifelong pioneer attributed her long life to walking, hard work and a daily cod liver oil capsule.
Ahead of her birthday, she told the Finn Valley Voice, she never thought in all her years she "would live as long" as she sent her Christmas wishes to readers of the regional paper.
Mrs Druce moved in with her niece Carmel and her husband Martin Harran last summer after her previous caregiver of ten years, her niece Margo Butler, died.
She is cared for by family spanning four generations.
Ms Harran said "she's a very special lady" and added that is been a pleasure having her in their home.
Mr Harran said during her early childhood "the most significant event for Ruby’s family was the arrival of the Spanish flu".
The Spanish flu sadly claimed the lives of two of her siblings, her six-week-old baby sister Mary Elizabeth and her two-year-old brother James, within the same week before Christmas 1918.
"Although Ruby was just short of her third birthday, she vividly remembers James with his blond curly hair and the two coffins in the house," said Mr Harran
"She herself fondly tells the story of how she escaped the Spanish flu by her father giving her a couple of teaspoons of poitín, the only time in her life when she tasted alcohol.
"Ruby has been a pioneer for 94 years which must be another record," he said.
Mrs Druce left school at 14 and worked in Porter’s shirt factory in Castlefinn for more than four decades.
She later left to look after her aging father, George, who was a shoemaker.
Mrs Druce married her childhood sweetheart Jim Druce in 1956.
They first met when she was 14. Mr Druce, a Scottish-born musician, spent much of his youth in Castlefinn.
He died in 1970.
Mr Druce had a Honda 50 and Mrs Druce remembers going to Bundoran on the motorcycle but more recently she has gone farther afield, visiting family in Toronto in her 80s and going on a pilgrimage to Lourdes.
A devout Christian, she remains devoted to prayers and the rosary.
A fan of Daniel O’Donnell, the west Donegal singer has often phoned Mrs Druce on her birthday.
Earlier this year, she sang 'The Homes of Donegal' alongside Mr O'Donnell when he visited.
On her 100th birthday, she donated the centenarian’s cheque she received from the Irish President to local charities.
Mrs Druce lived on her own until she suffered a fall and broke her hip at 98, at which time, she moved into her niece’s home.
Mrs Druce is believed to have become Ireland’s oldest person last autumn following the death of Phyllis Furness in Galway.
She has received nine commemorative coins from the President of Ireland.
