Passing of Ireland’s oldest person
The last person in Ireland from the year 1916, Eileen ‘Nell’ Hynes, was laid to rest on Sunday last, June 7.
She passed away peacefully at her home in The Heath, Coolderry, Roscrea with her family by her bedside, on Thursday night, June 4, at the great age of 109.
Not one for publicity, Eileen gave a rare interview to this scribe back in 2023. Several national newspapers, radio stations and even RTÉ television, tried, but failed to get Eileen to give an interview on her 109th birthday, but she wasn’t having any of it.
She had a remarkably sharp memory right up to the end, something that her family often talked about.
Born before the State came into existence and had, until her death, memories of the War of Independence which she didn’t like talking about because of “the cruelty”.
Eileen Jones was born in Cullwane, Moneygall, on December 15, 1916, the youngest of six in the family. She attended school locally and secured her first job in the local Post Office in Moneygall. She also did relief work in other surrounding post offices whenever the need arose, cycling everywhere.
MARRIED IN 1939
Romance blossomed for Eileen when she attended a house party in her cousin’s house and was introduced to her future husband William Hynes. They married in 1939 when Eileen was 23-years-old and she and William moved to Coolderry.
She had to give up her work in the post office back then but there was plenty of work to be done not just inside the house, but outside on the farm too helping her husband. They went on to raise a family of 10 children, and today, Bernie, the youngest is 67, and Pat, the eldest, is 85.
Eileen recalled back in 1923 that there “was plenty of hardship. Men worked for one pound a week then and that was good money”.
She added: “I had to bring water 200 or 300 yards from the river, boil it in a pot over the open fire to wash the clothes in a big tub on the middle of the floor.
“Times were very hard back then but everyone was the same so you just got on with it. There was no electricity or running water and we used a wash board in the tub.”
Transport was a pony and trap and the trusted bicycle but they couldn’t get tyres for the bicycles during the war, she recalled.
“The children did their lessons with the light of a candle,” recalled Eileen. When electricity arrived in the late 1950s, life became a little bit easier as she was then able to buy a washing machine and a fridge.
UNWAVERING FAITH
A woman of deep and unwavering faith, Eileen placed her trust in God throughout her long life and up to recent weeks, she attended Mass every Saturday evening in Coolderry Church. She also travelled to Knock over many years with firm belief and faith in Our Lady. She prayed the rosary every day and read prayers from her prayer book regularly. This was reflected during her Funeral Mass with the gifts that were brought to the altar by members of her grandchildren.
Eileen was never on an aeroplane throughout her long life and commented that there was simply no time for going anywhere with ten children to raise. She took her busy life all in her stride, knitted for the children and sewing their clothes when she had time. “That’s the way life was in those days, you just got on with it,” she recollected.
Despite all the hardships she endured, Eileen had no regrets and confided that she would do it all over again. She credited her longevity to “hard work and no smoking or drinking”.
Eileen has 102 direct descendants still alive, her 10 children, 30 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
When she turned 100, she received the Centenary Bounty, a gift and signed letter from the President of Ireland and this also came with a commemorative coin from the president every year since then.
Her wish was to live to 110 so she could collect her 10th commemorative coin from the President of Ireland and be able to give one coin to each of her children, whom she was totally devoted to.
Her Funeral Mass was one of the biggest witnessed in Coolderry with St Ita’s Church packed to overflowing with many gathered in the community hall to watch the livestream. Her cousin Fr Michael Enright was the main concelebrant and he was assisted by Fr Martin Delaney (PP, Rathdowney), Canon Conor Hayes (Templemore), Fr John Molloy (Roscrea), Fr Kieran Blake (PP, Bodyke) and former PP Coolderry, Fr Michael O’Meara (PP Kinnitty), Fr Arnold Rosney (Co PP, Birr), Fr Tom Hogan (Co PP, Birr) with Saoirse Carroll serving.
Her family got a standing ovation as they were thanked for their dedication, selflessness, devotion and amazing care given to their mother for the last 16 years, which allowed her to remain in her home until her final breath.
Eileen was predeceased by her husband William, daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, one great-grandchild and all her siblings. Sadly missed by her ten children PJ, Billy, Mary Hogan, Flan, Donal, Sean, Michael, Teresa Carroll, Ger and Bernie Lalor; her daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives, especially her close friend and cousin Fr Michael Enright, good neighbours and wide circle of friends to whom sympathy is offered. After funeral Mass, Eileen’s remains were brought to Dungar Cemetery where she was laid to rest with her beloved William.