Queen of Dunboyne, Anna McEnroe celebrates her 105th birthday milestone
Dunboyne woman, Anna McEnroe, who celebrated her 105th birthday just before Christmas is still hale and hearty and enjoyed celebrating her birthday and Christmas with her family.
Anna, who still lives in her home with help from a full-time carer, received letters from President Michael D Higgins and Tanaiste, Micheal Martin to mark her 105th birthday. She also received a medal from President Higgins, presented to centenarians each year they mark another boirthday.
She celebrated her birthday at home with her family, friends and neighbours. It was a sad Christmas for the family, as Anna's husband John died last May, just ten days short of his 99th birthday.
Anna celebrated Christmas in her son, Sean's home. She attended Mass in Dunboyne, visited the graveyard afterwards and ate a big Christmas dinner.
She says she has no real recipe for long life, but Sean believes clean living and eating well has a lot to do with it.
“She never smokes and just takes an occasional glass of whiskey. She eats well. She was a fantastic cook and we always had fresh vegetables in the garden at home,” he says.
"She used to walk into the village and back, that is three miles, nearly every day," he recalls.
Anna did great work for her local community over the years - 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 church and community.
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 in Mullagh.
“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 and her sister, Ita, who is in her 90s are the only surviving members of her family.
Anna emigrated to England after World War II, and worked for a time in a doctors 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 had one son, Sean, who is married to Mandy and 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 branch.
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.
She was a member of the Dunboyne Flower Club and the Dunboyne Retirement Group and loved to spend time in the garden making sure the flowers are all doing well. In recent years, she switched on the Dunboyne Christmas lights along with John and the couple were Grand Marshals of the local St Patrick's Day parade.
Sean says Anna always has had a positive outlook. "She still comes into the village to the shops, she reads the paper every day, watches the news. She knows a good bit about what is going on in the world and loves to see people coming. She is very strong minded."
“She has always been happy and jolly and loves talking to people," he said.