happy kissmas Maggie turns 103 with first visit from her husband in months

Maggie Timmins has had many birthdays but few have been quite as special as her 103rd.

That's because the Cavan woman got to see her husband John for the first time in months, which she said was the best birthday present she could ask for.

Maggie celebrated her birthday on Thursday with a small number of family members in a socially-distanced, outdoor party at Oak View Nursing Home in Belturbet, Co Cavan, where she is a resident.

Maggie and her husband John haven't seen each other since the second lockdown began earlier this year due to Covid-19 restrictions on nursing homes.

While she rued the fact she could not give her husband John a kiss due to the "muzzle" he was wearing, referring to his facemask, Maggie said she was "thrilled that we could at least hold hands.

"If we survive another year, we will be 70 years married," Maggie said , adding that she got "a great husband".

Maggie pointed out John had not been well since he had a stroke recently and said she hopes he gets a Covid-19 vaccine before she does.

She thanked the workers at the nursing home for facilitating the bash.

"I had my daughter Mary there and my husband, some grandchildren and great grandchildren," she said.

This is the second pandemic Maggie has encountered but she admits she doesn't remember the Spanish Flu as she was "just one or two at the time".

There is very little else Maggie doesn't remember, though.

"People from the town often called in here to see me to ask about their own family to see what I remember of them and I could tell them the lot."

The centenarian said she had hoped to get out to her family for Christmas - but the worsening Covid-19 situation ended any possibility of that.

"It could be my last Christmas, I won't live forever, you know," she joked.

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Independent.ie