Octogenarian already looking forward to her 21st!

Marie Sloan, Carlanstown, is celebrating her "20th birthday" with her husband, Alf, today (Wednesday). While most of us celebrate our birthdays every year, for those born on 29th February, the opportunity to celebrate on their real birthday comes around only every four years. Although turning 80, as a leap year baby, Mrs Sloan is still really only technically celebrating her 20th birthday. She said she usually celebrates her birthday on 1st March, but added that "the 29th is always special". Born in Liverpool on 29th February 1932, Mrs Sloan lived there until 1968 when she moved with her husband and five children to Australia to make a new life for themselves. They spent four years there but Mrs Sloan said they did not settle very well and moved back to the UK to live in Southport. In 2004, Mrs Sloan and her husband moved to Carlanstown to be close to their daughter, Maria Moores, and her family, and have settled well into the village, making many new friends. Mrs Sloan celebrated her birthday with friends and family at a party in Kiernan's pub on Saturday night. Her daughter, Pat, sons, Kieron and Mark, travelled over from the UK to be with their mother for her birthday and she was also joined by many of her friends from the over-60s club which meets in St Michael's GAA Club every second Tuesday. "Although I'm 80 years, I've only had 20 birthdays," laughed Mrs Sloan, adding that she was "looking forward to her 21st".