Eileen Nangle celebrates 100th birthday after surviving Covid-19

A resident of Anovocare Nursing Home in Swords who contracted Covid-19 in October, celebrated her 100^th birthday on Monday.

Eileen Nangle, who was born in Boyle, Roscommon in 1921, trained as a nurse in the former Richmond Hospital in Grangegorman before moving on to working in the first resident Autistic Unit in St Paul’s Hospital, Beaumount.

She was one of only 86 women in Ireland to complete the Leaving Certificate in 1938.

“Eileen Nangle is an incredibly strong, brave, inspiring, beautiful and witty woman – her accomplishments as a nurse and as a person are too many to mention,” says Gill Connor, her granddaughter.

“She has inspired all of us most recently by surviving Covid-19 at 99 years old.

“Today, we are lucky to have her in good spirits,” says Connor.

Nangle, born Eileen Armstrong, married Edward Nangle in 1952, but he unfortunately passed away in 2016.

“We know he’ll be celebrating with us somewhere,” says Connor.

Nangle was looking forward to having a small celebration with her famly, says Connor – affectionately known as Gilly – but they “understand that circumstances at the moment won’t allow.”

Nangle has three children, eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

She was the eldest of eight siblings and the only surviving member.

Nowdays, Nangle keeps “her mind sharp by playing sudoku and loves the challenge of a cryptic crossword puzzle,” say Connor.

“She was a brilliant bridge player and enjoyed pitch and putt.”

Nangle even keeps an eye on fashion “to this day” and “loves to see what all of us are wearing,” she says.

Connor says that unfortunately due to the level five restrictions, visits to her mother have to be from afar but her family knows she is in good hands.

“She’s currently in a Anovocare Nursing Home, Swords, where we are restricted to visits from the car park window to her room.

“The team in there are amazing and have helped us and her so much over these months – they really and truly are heroes and we’d love to thank them for taking such good care of her – and us at times of upset!”