Mayo's Kathleen Morley celebrates 1916 in a special way

1916 celebrations of a different kind took place in Claremorris when Kathleen Morley of Lisaniska, Bekan, celebrated her 100th birthday, writes Joanna McNicholas.

Born on April 1, 1916, Kathleen was just three weeks old when the Easter Rising took place.

She was the only girl in a family with six brothers, all now deceased. She was born Kathleen Commons from Cloonlee, Knock, and following her marriage to Tom Morley she moved to Lisaniska, Bekan. Her husband Tom died in 1997.

Kathleen has five children. Cathleen, Peggy and Anne live in Dublin, Mary lives in Carlow and her son Tommy resides in Lisaniska, Bekan. She also has 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

She was presented with a letter from President Michael D. Higgins on Friday and she also received a letter from An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, which was read to her by her granddaughter Cathy Barnacle.

Blessed with an excellent memory, Kathleen cannot recall hearing much talk in her youth about the 1916 Rising, but spoke about the devastation of the War of Independence from 1919 to 1921 and the Civil War from 1922 to 1923.

She recalled the ruthlessness of the Black and Tans during the War of Independence and spoke of friends taking different sides during the wars and becoming bitter enemies. In one sad case she remembers a man who joined the RIC and then later killed his best friend.

At the time of the Civil War there was much looting and mayhem in Claremorris and Kiltimagh. It was a very difficult time and neighbours stole from each other. She recalled a big news story about a neighbour’s coat being stolen.

She also remembers a major incident about a man who stole 12 geese. When the thief’s identity was discovered his punishment was to have goose feathers pinned to him.

“Then he was marched up and down the town of Claremorris on the next fair day,” Kathleen explained.

When asked what was the biggest change she had seen in her life Kathleen had no doubt but it was the price of a pint of stout!

During her childhood there had been an election and to assist with the counting of votes, two gallons of stout were bought for the vote counters and cost the tidy sum of £1.

Kathleen has a very simple recipe for long life and she attributes it to hard work.

She lived in Lisaniska until two years ago but she now resides in the Claremont Nursing Home in Claremorris.