This article is from page 26 of the 2008-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
MILTOWN MALBAY is the Tir na nOg of Clare, and if you have any doubt you just have to count the number of nonagenarians in the lo- cality.
Last week seven of the 90 plus year olds gathered at the Seanoiri Laich- tin Naofa in the West Clare Family Recourse Centre.
After dinner and a few dances the 90-year-olds gathered around the ta- ble, some meeting for the first time – as they attend the day centre on different days, others were meeting again after 70 years.
The most senior of the group was Jim Joe Griffin from Coore who will be 94-years young on April 4.
As sacristan of the local Church for
38 years Jim Joe is a mine of infor- mation about all of the people of the area and all the major events in their Tere
‘ T was 72-years in the one profes- sion,’ said the retired farmer who proved quite popular among the women in the day care centre.
Laughter definitely is the medicine for longevity if the table of seven people with an age total of 639 years was anything to go by.
Among the jokers, was Martin Walsh from Creevagh, who played his cards very close to his chest.
The youthful Mr Walsh, 90 in Sep- tember, entertains his friends with an entertaining song.
Not to be out done 90-year-old sea- nachi Francie Connelly told one of his many yarns.
The man from Leeds, Miltown Malbay, is still farming and looked as fresh as a man in his early 60s.
He thought nothing of cutting turf with the slean last year, and one would be incorrect to think that age stopped him this year. No he simply ran out of bog.
“Td still sow a bit of tillage,” he Sr HLG
Francie points across that table to Bridie Carey from Creggane, Quilty, “sure that woman there use to have a turkey and chicken hatchery.”
Bridie who will be 92 years old in May and is originally from Killmur- ry Ibrickane remembered it well.
It was hard work raising the birds, before she sent them off to be killed.
PJ “The Doctor” Downes is look- ing forward to his 93rd birthday on
St Patrick’s Day.
The Kildimo man who inherited his nickname from his father – an expert in looking after calving cows, enjoys a laugh and some fun.
Some might even consider that PJ’s longevity comes from the water, be- cause living across the road from him and sitting across the table was Mary Hurley – 90 in April.
Mary Murrihy from Knockbrack was 90 last month. Mary lives at one of the area’s two milestones – that is two Irish miles she explained with a laugh.
The seven are just some of the peo- ple from the area that enjoy meeting in the resource centre to have lunch, chat, and be entertained by Joe Ryan on the keyboard and local popular musician Michael Mahoney.