What a life.
Nora Canavan, from Co Clare, has died aged 108. She was officially Ireland’s oldest citizen, having celebrated her birthday last March.
She was a mother of seven, grandmother of 10, a great-grandmother of eight, and had two great-great-grandchildren.
Nora was born in Monreel Ennistymon in 1908, and lived in Doolin.
In 2012, Nora took part in an interview with the Clare Oral History and Folklore group (Cuimhneamh An Chláir), where she spoke about all the momentous changes she had witnessed in Ireland in her long years.
In this clip, she recalls travelling to a nearby field to get water from well. In other recorded interviews for the Clare Memories project, Nora recalled that her earliest memory was when she was aged 7 when her sister Bridget was born.
Nora also spoke of her memories of the Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence, during which an ambush happened near her family farm.
She met her husband Stephen at a house dance at her neighbour’s house. They married in 1928. Several members of her family had heart conditions, and Nora’s daughter died suddenly some years ago. Her eldest son was killed as a young man in a car crash.
Nora was called after an aunt, who lived to be 105, so Nora says she has been told that it was from her that she got her good health and long life.
In her oral history interview, Nora said the key to a long life is “to be careful with money and to live a good honest life and you won’t have to worry”.
She will be laid to rest following funeral mass tomorrow (July 22) at the Holy Rosary Church in Doolin.
