Angela celebrates her 100th birthday with four generations of her family
Angela Hickey celebrated her 100th birthday with her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren Photo: Joe Guinan
HARD work never killed anybody!
That’s the motto by which Angela Hickey has lived all of her life, and she must be right because she’s reached the milestone birthday of 100 years and is still going strong!
Angela celebrated her 100th birthday with a Mass in Kildavin church, where she was presented with a cheque from President Michael D Higgins by Fr Joe Fleming.
She, along with her children Mary, Patrick, John and Ann, grandchildren and great-grandchildren then retired to Conway’s pub in the village for a party while the family also had a celebratory barbecue at the family home to mark the great birthday.
She was also presented with a commemorative medal by cllr Charlie Murphy, who is the chairperson of Carlow County Council’s commemoration committee. Angela reminisced about her childhood and recalled some of the remarkable events and changes she's seen over her 100 years on this planet.
The birthday girl puts her great age and health down to good, honest hard work!
“Mammy always said hard work never killed anyone! But she doesn’t really attribute her age to anything in particular. Like people of that generation, she has a very deep faith.
"She’s a very independent woman still, and is in great form," said her son John.
Angela was born on 8 July 1924 to her parents, Sylvester and Lil Murphy, and four brothers and a sister, including her twin Dick. Sadly, he passed away 39 years ago at the age of 61 years' old and Angela is the last surviving sibling, but her brother Noel lived to be the ripe old age of 96.
The family lived on their farm in River Chapel, Courtown, Co Wexford and Angela, as a teenager, cycled into Gorey town to attend the local technical college.
She left school to work on the farm and did that until she met a handsome farmer, Patrick Hickey from Kildavin. She married him in 1956 at the age of 32 years' old, working on the farm and raising their children.
Angela now has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren with another on the way!
She was also the guest of honour at her grandson Donal’s wedding at the weekend, where she was treated with great love and respect by all the generations of people who were there.
The Centenarian’s Medal is presented to anyone in Co Carlow that has reached 100 years of age.
If you know anyone who’s reached this remarkable milestone age, contact John O’Gorman at library@carlowcoco.ie or phone 059 9172450.
