Dunboyne's Anna celebrates 103rd birthday
There were great celebrations in Dunboyne as local woman Anna McEnroe celebrated her 103rd birthday. Anna is still active and lives with John, her husband of 62 years in their Dunboyne home.
Although she has some difficulty with her feet and occasionally uses a wheelchair or walker, Anna regularly goes shopping in Dunboyne and does some of her own cooking and cleaning although she has home help. The mother of one is still full of life and fun and was out shopping in Dunboyne in the run up to Christmas.
She has always worked hard for her local community - which led to her receiving the Benemerenti medal from Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. It was presented to her by Monsignor Dermot Farrell (now Archbishop of Dublin) for her work with the parish and community.
"She is still very independent and does a lot for herself. She gets up every morning and gets herself dressed. Although she has home help she works around the house herself - they both do," says her son, Sean.
Anna O'Reilly was born 22nd December 1919 at Rosehill, Mullagh and was one of a large family, known as the 'Jontys of Mullagh'. As a young girl she worked at home on the family farm and went to school locally.
“She remembers working hard on the farm and in the bog. It was a tough life,” says Sean.
Her brother, the late Tommy O'Reilly was the founder of the Mullagh and Navan co-ops.
Anna emigrated to England after World War II, and worked for a time in a doctor's office. She met her husband John McEnroe, who is originally from Munterconnaught and they were married in 1960.
They moved back to Ireland in 1962 and settled in Dunboyne. Anna and John have one son, Sean, who is married to Mandy. They have two sons, Aaron and Darragh.
On moving to Dunboyne, Anna soon became very active in her adopted home - she joined the local branch of the ICA and later became president of the Dunboyne guild.
When Fr O’Reilly started the social services in Dunboyne, Anna, became involved in the Meals-on-Wheels where she continued cooking and coordinating until she was 90 years of age.
Sean believes clean living and eating well has a lot to do with the the long life enjoyed by both his parents. John is now 98.
“She never smoked and just takes an occasional glass of whiskey. We always had fresh vegetables in the garden at home and our own well,” he says. Sean says she always has had a positive outlook and loves talking to people.