Leapling of faith: Nun celebrates her 100th birthday in Cork on leap year day
Leap year baby Sister De Pazzi: “I feel good thank God. There is no secret to long life really.” Picture: Chani Anderson
To reach your 100th birthday is special. To do it on a leap year day is even more special. But then, this remarkable 'leapling' has always been considered one in a million.
Leap year baby, Sr de Pazzi, marked her milestone 100th birthday on her actual birth date on Thursday for the 25th time in her long and remarkable life by reminding guests at her party: “I’m really only 25."
The sprightly centurion was swamped with visitors, and lavished with flowers, gifts and cards at her first leap year birthday party since just before the covid lockdown.
And the Tipperary native kicked the party off in style, tinkling the ivories for her family, friends, the staff and residents of her home for the last two years, Darraglynn Nursing Home in Douglas, Cork, with a performance of It’s a Long Way to Tipperary followed quickly by a few bars of The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee for her adopted county.
“I feel good thank God. There is no secret to long life really,” she said.
“A lot of people like to live and are happy living, and it’s God’s will for us to live on and be happy.
“I look at the positives always. What else should a person do, only look at the positive.
“We all have our up moments and our down moments — give them all to the Lord when they come, as they come.
“And I’ve had plenty of help around me to help me through any hardships that might be there.
“People are very kind. The more you get to know them, you realise how kind they can be.”
One of her nieces, Elizabeth Eastlake, who travelled from England to attend, alongside several nephews — including Andrew, Frankie, Gerard, and Mike, and their families — said the entire family is just so proud of their last surviving aunt.
“She and my mother were just so close. She is amazing, she’s unique. She’s worked hard all her life. She is just a beautiful person,” she said.
Even the members of the Farranree parish choir, which she conducted for over 40 years, joined the celebrations.
“Sure you’d have to come to the party for Sr de Pazzi,” said Marian Clifford, who recalled joining the choir in 1975 when Sr de Pazzi was musical director.
Kathleen Finn was born in Dualla, near Cashell on February 29, 1924, and was schooled in Tipperary before she entered the North Presentation Convent in Cork on February 2, 1942, taking the name Sr de Pazzi and beginning her ministry in North Presentation Primary school.
It marked the start of a deep and enduring link with the city’s northside where she is fondly remembered today.
“I loved teaching the children there. They were all lovely, beautiful children, and the parents were always lovely to deal with,” she said.
She underwent teacher training in Carysfort College from 1947 to 1949, took up teaching in Scoil Aireirí Chríost in Farranree in 1962, and graduated with a music degree from UCC in 1967.
She taught in Florida from 1975 to 1979 before returning to Scoil Aiséirí Chríost where she served as principal from 1979 until her retirement in 1989, but she maintained her close connection with the school and parish.
Presentation Sisters Provincial leader, Sr Grace McKernan, who started her own teaching career with Sr de Pazzi as principal, also attended saying: "She continued playing music for the school, helping the children as they prepared for the sacraments, and every Friday when the children went to Mass, and she continued that right up to covid, when she was 95."
Bishop of Cork and Ross, Fintan Galvin, also called to the nursing home to wish her a happy birthday.
“It’s a wonderful privilege to be able to sit with Sr de Pazzi — 100 years of life, it’s like she's starting again, so fresh and positive, and such energy. It’s testament to her to see so many people from all over the country, and from England, here today,” he said.
Mary Conroy, the assistant director of nursing at Darraglynn, said Sr de Pazzi is incredibly popular.
“And in all the time we’ve been here, we have never seen anyone with so many visitors, of all ages," she said.
One of the most emotional tributes came from Micheál Ó Drisceoill, who remembers meeting Sr de Pazzi on his first day in junior infants over 75 years ago.
“As a preparation for life, I had won the lottery,” he said.
“It is only as I grow older I realise the huge impact Sr de Pazzi has had on my life.
“I may have only been an infant but there were subliminal seeds being sown and later effects being set in motion which would only become apparent many years later.
“I was too young to know any of this was happening at the time.
“But, as I look back now, I am realising more and more how privileged I was to have been in her class. It was a magical time and, I now realise, a tremendous privilege.
“All of this 'magic' was achieved by her presence alone. She exuded love. She made us feel safe and happy. It was fun to be taught by her.”
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