Kilkenny woman Maura Dowling celebrates 100th birthday with family and friends

A very happy birthday to Kilkenny woman Maura Dowling, who celebrated her 100th birthday last week.

Maura was born in Ballylarkin in 1922. At the age of four, Maura moved to Tifeaghna to live with her aunt and uncle, where she stayed until she met her husband Joe at a coursing meeting in Woodsgift.

The couple married in the early 1940s and had seven children at Balleen Castle where she still lives today. Her husband Joe passed away in 1967 at 56 years of age. Maura continued to raise her family and work on the farm.

Maura had 20 grandchildren and now has 34 great-grand children, and counting.

On her 100th birthday on September 19, Maura started her day with a very special mass, concelebrated by Fr Paddy Carey — a long time friend — and Fr Eamon O’ Gorman, sourrended by her family, her brother Sean Kennedy, grandchildren great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and a wide range of friends and neighbours.

Maura and her family would like to thank all who called to her house, sent cards and good wishes or made a donation to the Carlow Kilkenny home care team, for whom Maura always had a coffee morning every year on her birthday.