Offaly's oldest person and Ireland's ninth oldest citizen has died in her 106th year. Catherine Brennan passed away peacefully sitting in her chair at Mucklagh Nursing home on Saturday morning. She had been ill for a week but her quick death in the end came as a shock to her family. Originally from Kildare she first came to Offaly to work about 80 years ago as a cook in Edenderry. She then moved to Daingean where she worked as a cook in the priest's house until she met Michael Brennan from Cappagh and married him. The couple went on to have six children, three boys and three girls. Michael passed away 20 years ago. Catherine was grandmother to 31 grandchildren and a great-grandmother with 41 great-grandchildren. Before entering Mucklagh Nursing Home aged 103 she had lived with her son Michael and his wife Margaret in Tullamore. "She was a hard working woman, and very kind. She was everything to her family and very good living," said her daughter-in-law Margaret. She said Catherine was very generous and always doing good deeds for people which she never told anyone about. "She would give to someone and never let on to anyone else." She said that Catherine had been a very religious woman and it played a large role in her life. A GAA enthusiast, she followed the sporting feats of all her grandchildren including those who played for Cappincur and Kilclonfert. Catherine also loved Irish music. Her remains were removed from the funeral parlour in Market Square, Tullamore on Sunday to Kilclonfert Church with funeral mass taking place on Monday followed by burial in Daingean. A guard of honour was former by Kilclonfert GAA at the church with mass celebrated and concelebrated by Fr McEvoy from Mucklagh, Fr Coonan from Killeigh and Fr Byrne from Daingean. Offaly Express, 1st April 2009 Tweet

Most Read Stories