106-year-old Irishwoman reveals her secret to a long and happy life

An Irishwoman celebrated her 106th birthday and revealed her secrets to living such a long and healthy life.

Nancy Stewart, from Clonard on the Meath/Westmeath border, told RTE News she has always stayed away from alcohol and cigarettes and lived her life by a few simple rules.

“Have a good humour. Don’t fight with anyone and do your job well. That’s all.”

The pensioner was surrounded by friends and family throughout the day and was happy to pose with her birthday cake for the cameras.

She is believed to be the oldest person in Ireland living on her own. Nancy told the reporters that she welcomes visitors but has another rule regarding her hosting duties.

“Having neighbours and friends in talking and having a good chat with them and a nice cup of tea – if they make it themselves.”

Born in 1913, Nancy has seen incredible change in Ireland and across the world throughout her life.

She told a frightening story from her childhood during the time of the War of Independence, when she and her siblings were ordered to go and hide in the garden by her father, as the family home was paid an unexpected visit by the Black and Tans.

One of Nancy’s passions throughout her life has been to help people in need. She revealed her sensible lifestyle has always enabled her to offer help to those around her.

She said: “I wasn’t going out shopping or drinking, so I had that money to give to the poor.

“So they’d get a home to live with their children and that they’d be reasonably priced.”

Take a look at the RTE interview with Nancy below, in which she also called on the government to do something to tackle the issue of homelessness in Ireland.

A woman who celebrated her 106th birthday today has called on the Government to provide proper homes for the homeless, as well as the poor and needy in society | Read more: https://t.co/vwB5S8F0eU pic.twitter.com/NKtIDWXInQ

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) October 16, 2019

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