Ireland's oldest person Ruby Druce dies at the age of 109

Ruby Druce lived through two world wars and two pandemics. Picture: North West Newspix

Ireland's oldest person — who lived through two world wars and two pandemics — has died at her home in Co Donegal at the age of 109.

Ruby Druce died peacefully on Thursday at her niece's home in Castlefinn. Born in 1915, Ms Druce celebrated her 109th birthday on New Year's Eve last year. 

She became known as Ireland's oldest living person last August following the passing of Galway woman Phyllis Furness, who was also aged 109.

However, Ms Druce never liked to be reminded of her increasing years and shrugged off any mention of her age.

A non-smoker and teetotaller, she only ever had one sip of poitín — and that was for medicinal purposes when she had a bad cold.

Ruby Druce with the Sam Maguire Trophy in 1992. She was 76 at the time. Picture: North West Newspix

Ms Druce lived through two world wars and two pandemics — the Spanish flu and covid, which she contracted in 2023.

The eldest of five children, she was born Ruby Crawford to parents Elizabeth and George. She worked from the age of 14 at Porter's Shirt Factory where she spent 48 years.

She married Jim Druce in 1956, but Jim sadly died 14 years later.

Ms Druce had many loves in her life outside of her family and singer Daniel O'Donnell was one of them. She was delighted when Daniel and his wife Majella paid her a surprise visit in May last year to check in on her.

She was the proud holder of nine presidential medals, which she loved to show off to visitors. Each year, her home would be flooded with birthday cards and well-wishers.

Ruby Druce with her moped in the 1960s. Picture: North West Newspix

In 2019, Ms Druce decided she would like to go to the cinema at the age of 103 years to see Downton Abbey. It marked a gap of almost 80 years since she had been to the cinema, as she recalled last cycling to the cinema in 1944.

Last year, Ms Druce also lost her beloved niece, Margo Butler, who had cared for her in Letterkenny for 10 years.

Following Margo's passing, Ruby moved back to Castlefinn to live with her niece, Carmel Martin.

Ruby is survived by a wide circle of nieces, one nephew, grandnieces and nephews and great-grandnieces and nephews.