Celebrations in Rathkenny for Evelyn’s 100th birthday
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Evelyn Corrigan with family, Joseph, Mary, Paddy and John. Photos: Caroline QuinnImage 2 of 8
Evelyn Corrigan is joined by her nine grandchildren.Image 3 of 8
Evelyn Corrigan and her 16 great grandchildren in Rushwee Church.Image 4 of 8
Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, wishes Evelyn a happy 100th birthday.Image 5 of 8
Evelyn Corrigan with Fr Declan Hurley, ADM, Navan, Fr Barry White,CC, Mullingar, and Fr Gerry Boyle, PP, Rathkenny.Image 6 of 8
A century apart ... Young Adaline Corrigan, born in 2023, meets her great grandmother, Evelyn, born in 1923, with her father, Alan.Image 7 of 8
Evelyn with her birthday cake.Image 8 of 8
Rushwee and Rochestown, Slane, were the locations of celebrations for a special lady at the weekend when family, neighbours and friends gathered to mark the 100th birthday of Evelyn Corrigan.
The marvellous milestone was marked with a Mass in Rushwee Church, followed by a get-together at Rochestown, home of Evelyn's daughter, Mary McCabe.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr Gerry Boyle, PP, Rathkenny, with parish native, Fr Barry White, and Fr Martin McErlean from Navan. Evelyn was born Evelyn Curran at Proudstown in Navan 100 years ago.
In June 1948, she married farmer Edward Corrigan of Rochestown, and they went on to have a family of five. After Edwards's untimely death in 1977, she carried on farming with the help of her family.
Saturday saw her joined by her nine grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren. These grandchildren have been the apple of her eye over the years, as she played many card games with them. She also loved going to bingo in Rathkenny, and plays the LMFM radio bingo every week.
Evelyn is a keen sports follower, keeping up with the fortunes of the local Rathkenny team, and was delighted to see their Intermediate Championship success in 2023, while also tuning into Meath matches – although she declared after being at one Royal County drubbing in Croke Park in 1986 that she was a bad luck charm, and didn't set foot near a match again!
She has also been delighted with the women's team and Meath's Tailteann Cup success under local lad, Donal Keogan. Other sports she follows are rugby and tennis on television and listening to the local GAA on radio.
The Rathkenny jersey was one of the gifts brought up in the Offertory Procession at Mass on Saturday night, showing her love of sport, as was her cookery book, as she was famous for her sponges - baked in a harp-shaped tin – and her adoration prayers as a reflection of her faith, which she greatly values.
Until recent years, she had taken part in Lough Derg pilgrimages, and regular trips to Our Lady's Shrine in Knock. She is a lifelong member of the Pioneer Totals Abstinence Association and a holder of a Fr Cullen long service medal.
Evelyn's son, Eamonn, passed away in March 2021, and was remembered at the Mass where she was joined by her remaining children, Paddy, John, Mary and Joseph, and her extended family.
At the Mass, Fr White read a thanksgiving reflection he had composed on his neighbour's centenary. The gathering included the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, and Evelyn received her letter of congratulations on her 100th birthday from President Michael D Higgins.