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BreakingNews.ie
18-07-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Funeral of Ireland's oldest person hears she often thought God had forgotten to take her
Ireland's oldest person, Sarah Coyle, who died at the age of 108 earlier this week, often wondered whether God had forgotten to take her, but ultimately decided that he would call her when he needed her. her funeral mass has heard. Mrs Coyle lived through two pandemics, the Irish Civil War and the War of Independence. Advertisement She was a native of Knockatomcoyle, Co Wicklow but resided with her daughter Marian Galligan in Castleknock in Dublin. She passed away peacefully on Monday surrounded by her family. Her granddaughter Anne Marie told mourners at St Brigid's Church in Blanchardstown in Dublin today that her 'Nana' was the 'personification of sunshine.' 'You felt her warmth. She radiated a positive energy and you would be left with a glow from simply basking in her presence. Like the song goes she made you happy when skies were grey. Advertisement It is true Nana had much suffering or heartache in her life. She didn't dwell on it. She refused to let it define her. She actively chose happiness and love. Repeatedly.' Anne Marie said that her grand mother had lost her sight by the age of forty. 'Despite living in total darkness for much of her long life she brought light to so many. She was a masterclass in resilience. "She proved your energy creates a ripple. When you choose healing over hate, peace over pride and love over fear you become the light that someone end was praying for. Advertisement "Today Nana we marvel at your courage, we celebrate your strength and we are forever grateful for your sunshine. The world is so much brighter from you having been in it. "Your love and sunbeams will continue to shine through all of us whom you have loved so fiercely. You can rest in peace now Nana knowing that you were the very best in nana's and the very best in women.' Anne Marie added that her grandmother was a person of many skills. Sarah, who was widowed in 1968, was a 'talented seamstress and avid gardener' who could single handedly flip a double mattress and change sheets until her nineties when her family ' begged her to stop.' Advertisement Meanwhile, her son in law Anthony said that Sarah often marvelled at her longevity. 'She used to say 'I can't believe I'm a hundred years old and I'm still here. I wonder if God has forgotten about me? And we would say 'Far from it. He hasn't forgotten about you. But you still have important work on earth and he is leaving you here.' She would break in to a lovely smile and say 'I suppose he will call me when he needs me.' Anthony said that his mother in law had a great sense of fun and would want her funeral to be a happy event. Advertisement Her remembered her 'lovely smile and 'kind words' and indicated that she was a role model to her loved ones. 'By the age of forty she was almost totally blind. You would think that was as a parent of a young family a tremendous challenge. I can only imagine what it must have been like. "She quickly gathered herself. She said there was two choices 'I could either go under or spend the rest of my life feeling sorry for myself.' She was an inspiration.' Meanwhile, Fr John Gilligan, who celebrated the mass, said that it was being watched online by Sarah's 103 year old sister Lily, who is based in Birmingham in the UK and by her son Patrick who resides in Melbourne, Australia. Fr Gilligan said that they were in the church to celebrate a 'life well lived.' 'Almost 109 years of life. What changes she would have seen from the Ireland of 1916 to the Ireland of today. When you look at her life she was one who lived it to the full. Her advice to people was 'don't bear grudges. Be kind to people.' We think of all the things she went through in life. The history. 1916. Raised in the that time. She even talks about the Black and Tans. All the stories we hear of in history she experienced so much of in her life. She loved to have the Minister of the Eucharist come to her in the parish. I have always been impressed by the care (her daughter) Marian and (her son in law) Anthony gave to her. This day three weeks ago I went up to visit her after the ten o clock mass here. We brought her communion and we anointed her. And I said 'I hear you have a big birthday coming up.' And she had a lovely big smile. I said 'when were you born?.' She said 'the 24th of July 1916.' She was full of joy living life to the full. It was wonderful to see the type of person she was. She was always a lady with a great sense of fun. She loved people and she loved chatting with them. She kept herself informed with current affairs. Radio Eireann and Liveline. She was always one step ahead with the quick retort.' Offertory gifts at the 10am mass included holy water signifying her deep faith, a 'talking book', seeds to represent her love of gardening and a picture of Sarah with her family on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Meanwhile, as a young woman Sarah worked in Foxrock in Dublin where she was employed as a housekeeper. She met her husband Tom Coyle at a dance. He was a native of Cavan who worked as a postman until ill health set in in his late fifties. The couple lived in Drumcondra. They had four children two of whom died as newborns. Mrs Coyle became the oldest person in Ireland following the death on March 20th last in Letterkenny in Co Donegal of 109 year old Ruby Druce. Mrs Coyle is survived by her two adult children, her son in law, her grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family and friends. She was pre deceased by eight of her nine siblings. She was laid to rest in Glasnevin cemetery in Dublin.
BreakingNews.ie
16-07-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Ireland's oldest person dies aged 108
The death has occurred of a 108-year-old Irish woman who lived through two pandemics, the Irish Civil War and the War of Independence. Sarah Coyle was a native of Knockatomcoyle, Co Wicklow but resided with her daughter Marian Galligan in Castleknock in Dublin. She passed away peacefully on Monday surrounded by her family. Advertisement Mrs Coyle, who was born in the year of the Easter Rising, is understood to have been the oldest person in the country. Sarah, who had the maiden name Byrne, was born on July 24th, 1916 and grew up in Coolkenno before moving to Dublin as a teenager. In an interview with The Irish Times in April, her daughter Marian said that her mother had a very strong memory of the the Black and Tans, the British Forces who operated in Ireland during the War of Independence from 1919 to 1921. 'When she was very young, the Black and Tans came around and brought her grandfather James out. They were going to shoot him at the gable end [of the house] – for no reason, they were just going around doing purges,' Ms Galligan said. Advertisement "He blessed himself and he said, 'Blessed be the will of God'.' At this point the leader of the group told his men, 'Put down your guns.' They left him there, they didn't shoot him. It wasn't the will of God,' Ms Galligan said. Mrs Coyle hailed from a family of 10. Many of her siblings also lived long lives. Her sister Lily Kelly who resides in Solihull in the UK turned 103 earlier this year whilst her brother Andy Byrne lived to 100. Meanwhile, as a young woman Sarah worked in Foxrock in Dublin where she was employed as a housekeeper. She met her husband Tom Coyle at a dance. He was a native of Cavan who died in the mid 1980s. He worked as a postman until ill health set in in his late 50s. The couple lived in Drumcondra. They had four children two of whom died as newborns. Advertisement The grandmother and great grandmother lost her sight in her early 30s. Sarah rarely drank other than the odd sherry 'to be sociable". She attributed her longevity to the habit of her mother of putting the first nettles of spring in to their cabbage to 'purify their blood". Mrs Coyle became the oldest person in Ireland following the death on March 20th last in Letterkenny in Co Donegal of Ruby Druce. Ms Druce was 109 years and 79 days at the time of her passing. She lived on her own until she was 98.
Irish Times
15-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Woman believed to be Ireland's oldest person dies days before 109th birthday
A woman born in the year of the Easter Rising and who survived two pandemics has died just days before her 109th birthday. Sarah Coyle, believed to be Ireland's oldest person, died peacefully at her daughter Marian Galligan's home in Castleknock, Dublin , on Monday July 14th, just 10 days before her 109th birthday, her family confirmed. She was surrounded by her family when she died, her grandson Thomas Galligan said. Just days earlier, she thanked the family for all they had done for her and 'wanted us to know we had her blessing', he said. Ms Galligan told The Irish Times earlier this year her mother, who grew up in Co Wicklow, had memories of significant periods in Irish history, including from the Civil War (1922-1923) and even the War of Independence (1919-1921). READ MORE Those memories, Ms Galligan said, included of the Black and Tans , British forces operating in Ireland during the War of Independence who were notorious for their violence. Ms Coyle remembered one occasion when all the men called James in her home area were rounded up by the Black and Tans in an effort to identify who had shot one of their members. Ms Coyle's father James was among those taken up the mountains but, while his family feared the worst, he returned home uninjured several hours later. Ms Coyle had nine siblings, some of whom also lived beyond their centenary year. Her sister Lily Kelly, who lives in Solihull in England, turned 103 in April. One of her brothers, Andy Byrne, died shortly before his 101st birthday. Ms Coyle was born in Knockatomcoyle, a townland in Co Wicklow, before her family moved to Coolkenno, near Tullow. She was working as a housekeeper in Foxrock when she met Tom Coyle from Cavan at a dance. [ Ireland's oldest woman (108) recalls Black and Tans and attributes long life to 'new nettles' in cabbage Opens in new window ] They married and lived in Drumcondra. The couple had four children but two of their daughters died as newborns. Ms Coyle, who lost her eyesight in her early thirties, has five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Her husband worked as a postman until he had a stroke in his late 50s, followed by a brain haemorrhage. When asked what her mother attributed her longevity to, Marian Galligan said she would gather the first nettles every spring and put them in the cabbage. 'She used to say, 'that will purify your blood'.'
