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Covid-19 restrictions may have stopped Arthur Henry Saunders from galloping, but as neighbors in Mullagh, Co Cavan surprised him on his 100th birthday on Friday, vowing to have “some work” when the restrictions ease.
Described by his granddaughter Julie Norris Brady as a “people person,” the Athlone native was shocked when he responded to a knock on his door at lunchtime to see Gardaí-led friends and supporters in a drive. -by in his honor.
“I got loads of gifts – whiskey and cash,” said the 100-year-old who also received an elaborate birthday cake baked by neighbor Audrey O’Rourke.
“He’s as fit as a violin, he still mows my lawn,” said his daughter Ann Marie, who shares a house with the 100-year-old on the Millstream estate in Mullagh.
“Grandpa has been hit hard by Covid as he is a very popular person here,” Julie explained. “He has gone from walking to stores every day for the newspaper and messages to barely leaving since March.”
Julie lives three doors from her grandfather and their house is officially part of his bubble, so Arthur comes for a cup of tea every Saturday to exchange news with his great-grandchildren Lauren (18) Jamie (16) and Ben-Henry (eleven).
“They take his dog out for him every day. He’s so popular that everyone would stop and chat with him, so we can’t risk catching the virus, ”Julie said.
Arthur himself, who was born during the War of Independence and emigrated to England during World War II, says he hopes the pandemic will end soon so he can go out and meet his friends.
Having emigrated to England in 1941, he worked for decades on construction sites and on the railways and says he had a good life there.
“I met a lot of good people there. Thousands of Irish left during the war because there was no work at home, “said Arthur. One special Irish immigrant he met was his future wife Teresa Clarke, a native of Trim who passed away a few years ago.
The father of three who has seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren says he’s fit as a violin. Last year he was chosen to turn on the holiday lights in Mullagh and he hopes there will be some festivities again this Christmas. “I am a good mixer. I love meeting people ”.
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