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Kitty still going strong at 103

May 26th, 2019 7:10 AM

By Southern Star Team

Kitty O'Driscoll (centre), Letter, Ballydehob, pictured at home on the occasion of her 103rd birthday with neighbours and long-time friends Billy O'Regan and Leita Camier.

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Relatives, neighbours and friends made their way in their droves throughout the day and night to the home in Letter of Kitty O'Driscoll on Tuesday of last week to wish her well and join her in the celebration of her 103rd birthday

RELATIVES, neighbours and friends made their way in their droves throughout the day and night to the home in Letter of Kitty O’Driscoll on Tuesday of last week to wish her well and join her in the celebration of her 103rd birthday.  

Still as bright as a button and living on her own with the assistance of visiting home helps, Miss O’Driscoll continues to ensure that the legendary hospitality of the O’Driscoll house will never be curtailed in her lifetime. Food and drink in abundance freely flowed all day long, making it another memorable celebration.  To Kitty’s obvious delight, the day was even made more special with a return visit all the way from Virginia in the United States of her cousin, Tom Finn, his wife, Kathleen and niece, Jennifer. Tom’s grandmother’s was Minnie O’Driscoll from Letter and Bridget O’Driscoll, Kitty’s aunt, stayed with Minnie in her home in New Jersey on her safe arrival in New York in April 1912, having survived the sinking of the ‘Titanic.’  

It was only in 2017 that Tom accidently made the connection of the his relationship with Kitty when reading the story on the Ballydehob.ie website of the village’s commemoration in 2012 of the Ballydehob. Three who sailed together and survived together the ‘Titanic’s’ tragic end.  

Leaving nothing to chance he promptly booked a trip and arrived in Ireland in the autumn of that year. Since then, he has continued to add to his and the O’Driscoll family tree, of which Kitty is now the centre of attention.       

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