ROUTINE is the secret to a long life, according to Glasnevin native Sarah Casey who recently received her Centenarian bounty from the president.

The great grandmother of 14, grandmother of 10 and mother of three, celebrated her birthday in style on the weekend of January 20 surrounded by more than 130 friends and family who travelled from near and far for the occasion.

The much-loved and admired centenarian has been a resident of Anam Cara nursing home on St Canice’s Road for four years but lived for 43 years prior to that with her daughter-in-law Collette Casey and her family in Glasnevin Hill.

“She’s an amazing woman,” Collette told Northside People.

“Routine is definitely her secret to longevity. For decades she had certain days to do certain chores like every Monday she’d defrost the fridge, every Wednesday she’d pay her bills and every Thursday she’s polish her brassware.

“She loves her fashion and was a wonderful dressmaker and would often have turned an old overcoat into a little coat for one of her grandchildren.

“She had and still has great foresight about everything and was very instinctive.

“My husband, her son Sean, died two years ago and was sick before his death. I think she knew before I did just how ill he was because she was really insistent that we find a home for her to move to so we could concentrate on looking after him.

Collette added: “There’s a lot to this lady. She is absolutely wonderful.”

Sarah Casey and Drumcondra local Dora Cheevers are part of the new record-breaking centenarian club which last year saw the highest-ever number of Irish people in receipt of the €2,540 presidential payment.

Dora, who is described as life and soul of the party, celebrated her 100th birthday on December 8.

The fun-loving centenarian was surrounded by her friends at the Drumcondra Ladies Club, which she has attended every week since it was set up in 1969.

Ever the entertainer, Dora treated friends to a rendition of her much loved tune A German Clock Winder after she blew out her candles.

“She’s a slight hearing difficulty but she’s very with it and doing better than people younger than her,” Dora’s friend Christine Scully told Northside People.

“She never-married and she doesn’t have any children which is probably why she’s lived as well and as long as she has.”

Last year more than 200 Irish citizens celebrated their 100th birthday, 55 of whom live in Dublin. About 85 per cent of centenarians were woman and that figure doesn’t vary much from year to year.

In 2011, Aras an Uachtarain paid out €934,720 in presidential bounties.