By Tommy Curran
Warm congratulations were extended to the much loved nurse Anna (Cecilia) Gallagher on Monday past as she celebrated her 100th birthday at her home in An Draoighean, Magherclogher, Bunbeg.
Throughout her long and fulfilling life, Anna devoted herself to caring for others, spending many years in the nursing profession where her kindness, compassion and dedication earned her the respect and admiration of patients and colleagues alike.
Anne, known as Anna to her extended family, originally came from Co. Cavan and was born on June 15, 1926 in the townland of Callanagh in the Parish of Mullahoran.
She was the youngest of a family of seven brothers and two sisters.
In 1946, Anna emigrated to England to start her training as a nurse. She spent three years in Halifax General Hospital and obtained her Staff Nurse Certificate along with Parts 1 and Parts II in Midwifery.
Following her training, she worked as a staff nurse (midwifery) at St. Andrew’s Hospital in East London (1951-1952) and at St. Mary’s Abbots Hospital, Kensington (1952-1954).
In February 1954, Anna and her friend Betty Bishop set sail to Canada and Anna worked at St. Thomas Memorial, Ontario as a staff nurse. She spent eight months there and subsequently worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Toronto for six months before moving to Los Angeles where she worked for the following six months at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital.
On her return home, Anna continued her nursing career in Larne, Co Antrim.
Anna met Charlie Gallagher of Gaoth Dobhair who was an Irish teacher in the local school and they married in 1959 in Mullahoran.
They lived in Moville in Donegal, Oldcastle, Co. Westmeath and Emyvale, Co Monaghan before moving to Charlie’s home place in An Droighean, Magheraclogher where they built a house in 1978. Following Charlie’s death in December 1980, Anna joined the staff of the newly opened Community Hospital in Falcarragh as a staff nurse and worked here until she retired in 1991.
Following her retirement, she and her brother Austin visited their brother Gerald in South Australia and also spent some time travelling around Australia.
Every September, Anna also visited her sister Rosetta who resided in Dover, England and always spent Christmas, Easter and August with her brothers and extended family in her home place in Cavan.
She has a keen sense of style and frequently took the opportunity to travel to Dublin with her nieces to catch the Christmas sales. To mark her milestone birthday her nephew Mícheál Briody who lives in Vantaa, Finland composed a lovely poem for her.
Anna is an avid animal lover, she especially loves dogs. She enjoys outdoor life, loved gardening and had quite an impressive vegetable garden.
She also has a creative side, her interests included dressmaking and embroidery.
Now she likes to spend time with family, go for drives and stop off for a delicious 99 ice-cream cone!
Anna with the beautiful birthday cake
Anna Gallagher pictured in her teen years.