The family and friends of Dunleer woman, Ita Corrigan, gathered on 9 January in Shearmans Bar in Dunleer to celebrate Ita reaching her landmark 100th birthday.
Ita Magee was born in the townland of Cangy, Dunleer in 1924, into a family of eleven children. Her father Patrick Magee was a platelayer on the railway which ran past their home.
Sadly, Ita’s mother Bridget died leaving behind her young family. Ita’s older sister Bridie cared for the youngsters. Some siblings emigrated to England and America and sent parcels home to the family and visited regularly.
In 1948, Ita married Hughie Corrigan, a carpenter from Annagassan. They set up home just over the lane in a cottage in Coneyburrow where they raised seven children – Kay, Frances, David, Declan, Deirdre, Hugh and Anita.
The family has grown to seventeen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Hughie passed away on his 92nd birthday in 2012.
Remarkably, Ita’s daughter Deirdre in Melbourne shares her birthday and two of her great-grandchildren – Aidan Corrigan (Dundalk) and Charlie Kinsella (Cork) also celebrate their birthdays on the same day.
Ita was always a marvelous cook and still makes her own bread and ‘light-as-a-feather’ queen cakes. She sewed and knitted all her children’s clothes and was an active member of the local ICA.
A passionate gardener, Ita’s flowers bloomed brightly and bountiful berries become pots of jam to complement her brown bread.
She loves to brighten her kitchen with flower arrangements from her garden and she continues to battle with moss in her lawn.
Ita is a great woman for telling stories of her youth and her life in her native Dunleer. She keeps up to date with local and world news, reading the paper daily.
Ita continues to live at home with help from her family, neighbours and the homecare service. The family greatly appreciates this support that allows her to continue to live independently.
Ita is an extraordinary bean na hEireann and we wish her continued health and happiness in her many years ahead. Beir bua Ita!
