Mary, 106: ‘Stay away from men’

MARY FITZGERALD attributes reaching the age of 106 to hard work and “keeping away from the men”.

Mary who comes from Newcastle West, celebrated her big day at St Ita’s community hospital where she has been a resident for more than four years.

As a young woman she worked in the family bakery in the town.

Hale and hearty, Mary says the rosary several times each day and keeps up with her favourite TV programmes.

Mary said she was never afraid of hard work.

She said: “Hard work never hurt anybody. I was a cook and bottle washer in the bakery business at home. I loved looking after my seven brothers who never married. I just never had any notion myself of getting married, although I had a boyfriend once. I told him it was a waste of time as I was not the marrying kind.”

She said her decision not to marry may have been due to the fact that her mother had 12 children.

Mary said: “I think women got it very tough in those days. A lot of men drank to excess, although my father was a very good living man and said the rosary every night.”

She praised St Ita’s, saying: “It’s a grand place and they treat me very well and you get a great dinner here. But I wouldn’t be gone on the flour they use. It’s not as good as the flour we used in the bakery at home for our bread all those years.”