Celebrations underway as Ireland's oldest resident celebrates her 109th birthday

“There’s no call for it,” smiles Ruby Druce about the hullabaloo as Ireland’s oldest living citizen toasted her 109th birthday.

Born on New Year’s Eve in 1915, Ruby was surrounded by her family and some close friends to celebrate her latest remarkable milestone.

Nine-year-old Ruby Shields, one of the 109-year-old’s great-grandnieces and the one who bears her name, smiled proudly as she told how she was Christened in a gown worn by the older Ruby 100 years previously.

“It’s just a big blessing to our family that we have her,” Ruby, a third-class pupil at St Mary’s NS in Castlefin, County Donegal says, proudly adding: “Aunt Ruby was 100 on my Christening.”

Ruby Druce with niece Carmel Harran and great-grandniece Ruby Shields

Grandnieces and grandnephews Donna, Ronan, Rachel and Frankie as well as great-grandnieces and nephews Sienna, Amelia, Lorcan, Clodagh, Ben and Ruby were among those present as Ruby’s niece, Carmel Harran and nephew Seamus Ponsonby brought in the cake.

In all, she has 28 great-grandnieces and nephews, including five in Canada and two in England. 

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Mischievous Ruby recalled cycling to Strabane and smuggling hats from across the border for her sister Maggie’s wedding. One of the hats, which they wore on the cycle back home, had little black dots on a veil, which she mistook for flies. Still, all these years on, there are no flies on Ruby.

Born at Sandy Row, Castlefin she is now living with Carmel and Martin Harran at Millburn, Castlefin after spending 10 years living in Letterkenny with another niece, Margo Butler, who sadly passed away in July, 2024.  The wheel has come full circle and she is back in her native Castlefin again.

Her other niece, Claire Mullan, lives in Canada and gets in touch regularly on FaceTime.

“Her and me have always been very close,” Carmel says. “We are just so happy to have her here.”

Ruby Druce with her niece Carmel Harran and nephew Seamus Ponsonby

Plenty of walking and a daily cod liver oil capsule have been attributed to Ruby’s long life. 

The only time she ever sampled alcohol was when she was given poitín after contracting the Spanish flu in 1918.

That global pandemic, almost 106 years ago now, wiped out 50 million people across the globe, including Ruby’s six-week old baby sister Molly and her brother, James. 

“I remember asking them what was in the wee box,” Ruby previously remembered about seeing the little coffins in her house. 

Ruby, the eldest of five children born to George Crawford and Elizabeth (nee McBride), has been a pioneer since the age of 15.

“That’s probably some sort of a record too,” Martin Harran says,.

Ruby was born before daylight saving time was widely implemented and four months before the Easter Rising of 1916.
Ruby Druce on the occasion of her wedding to Jim Druce

One of the medals she has received from President Michael D Higgins, in 2016, bears a symbol marking the 100th anniversary of the Rising.

Up until a couple of months ago, Ruby watched Mass every morning on YouTube. She still tunes into the stream of Sunday Mass from St Mary’s Church. “When she’s on form, she will still say the responses,” Martin Harran says. “She is still very religious and will pray with the priest when he calls to visit.

“It’s an unbelievable experience to have her with us here. Ruby is a woman who has always been a big part of our family here. 

“She has a great outlook on life. Ruby just takes it all in her stride. I have learned a lot from her too.” 

Ruby has no shortage of visitors. Home helps Rosemary Byrne and Anne Grieve were in on her birthday just before the RTE cameras landed to feature the queen of Castlefin.

The likes of Collette Carlin, Mary Dunnion, Brid Stevenson, Mary McDermott, Kathleen Coyle, Elizabeth Mahaffey, John Mahaffey, Liam Harkin and Kenny Catterson are all regular callers. 

At Ruby Shields's christening, her wearing the 100-year-old robe that Ruby Druce was also christened in

Fr Kieran Harkin, who attended to her during her years in Letterkenny, still calls regularly. 

On Saturday, Eilish Dalglish is due to fly in for Scotland for a visit. Having grown up next door to Ruby, she still makes the trio a couple of times every year to check in.

Martin Harran says: “When Ruby lived in Castlefin as a young girl, their house was an open house and a lot of people came to visit. She has always been very fond of people.” 

Ruby, who worked for 48 years in Porter’s Factory, lived on her own until she was 98, when a broken hip necessitated daily assistance. 

She is a beloved citizen of the border village and little Ruby Shields beams with delight as she recalls class teacher Ms Catterson and the second and third class children in St Mary’s NS making Christmas cards for her great-grandaunt.

“We made 29 Christmas cards and we posted them,” she says. “Everybody in the class was asking what we should do. My cheeks got rosy red and I was so happy.”

Ruby has seen off two World Wars and two global pandemics having been vaccinated against Covid-19 in 2021 at the age of 105.

“It’s a great achievement for her,” nephew Seamus Ponsonby says. “She is full of spirit. “The family is so happy for Ruby that she has lived such a long life and it’s great that she has so many people around her.”