Ballycumber’s Jimmy is 100 years young!
1922 was a tumultuous year in Irish history with the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty triggering a bitter and bloody civil war. It was also the year that Ballycumber’s Jimmy Guinan was born!
On Sunday last, February 20, Jimmy and his wife of 66 years, Maureen, were joined by family, friends and neighbours for a wonderful birthday party to celebrate the Offaly village’s oldest citizen and its newest centenarian.
Despite his 100 years, Jimmy Guinan still reads the daily and weekly papers, completes his daily crossword and loves to watch programmes like ‘Countdown’ and ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ on TV.
“He would have the crossword finished when most of us would only be thinking about it” admits his eldest son, Michael, who lives next door to his parents, and says they are still “quite independent” even though they have a combined age of 190.
Jimmy married his beloved Maureen, whose maiden name was Mulrooney from Clonoghill, Birr, in 1956, and they have a family of five, sons Michael, Vincent and Seamus and daughters Mary (Galvin) and Pauline (Daly). The five siblings proudly gathered round their parents in Gussie’s in Ballycumber on Sunday evening last for the birthday celebrations, where they were joined by in-laws, friends, neighbours and numerous well wishers eager to toast Jimmy on the magnificent achievement of his 100 years.
Born into a family of seven, Jimmy Guinan’s late father was lucky to secure nine acres of Ayres Estate in Ballycumber when it was divided, and it was there that Jimmy and his brothers and sisters were reared. All the Guinans were born in Ballycumber, except for Jimmy, who was born in Raheen in Clara, which was also the birthplace of his late mother.
He went to school in The Island, and his only surviving brother, Johnny, who is 95, reckons that if his parents had been able to afford to send him to college he would have excelled academically. In a moving, written tribute to Jimmy, Johnny Guinan described his brother as being “one of the greatest brothers one could wish for” and added that he always had “a brilliant mind.”
With no option but to pick up odd jobs here and there working with farmers and labouring, Jimmy Guinan worked hard in his younger years. Among his many jobs was painting the Railway Bridge in Athlone. “Himself and a man named Joe Geraghty used to cycle every day from Ballycumber to Athlone to paint the Railway Bridge there and that sure was tough going,” said his brother, Johnny, at the party in Gussies.
He also worked on a farm in Golden Island in Athlone which was owned by a Mrs. Curley, and he lodged on the farm before moving to work on Sharragh bog. In 1958, two years after he married, Jimmy Guinan moved to Boora where he held various roles, including the job of supervisor, doing manual work on the bog and working in the office at the Power Station, and he also worked in Derrinlough Briquette factory.
Jimmy has been an avid GAA fan all his life and his son, Michael, recalls how his Dad had a 10-year ticket to Croke Park “and he was there every Sunday, no matter who was playing” he says. He can still recall matches and players from years past as Michael says his memory “is perfect.”
His other great passion in life was participating in table quizzes, and he was a fearsome competitor wherever he went! “He still loves the quizzes and crosswords and his mind is as sharp as ever,” says his son, Michael, even though his eyesight and hearing are not what they once were. “He has a special magnifying screen for reading the papers, doing the crosswords and watching TV and that’s a great help,” says Michael.
The Guinan family organised a Mass in Boher Church on Sunday last for their parents, at which a special candle was lit in their honour, and pride of place at the birthday party went to Jimmy’s only surviving siblings, 95-year old Johnny, who is a resident of Eiscir Rí Nursing Home in Clara and his 89-year old sister, Maureen (Keenaghan) who lives in Rosemount, Moate.
“He was delighted with all the fuss, but now it’s back to the crosswords and the quiz shows,” says Michael, who adds that the family are “blessed” to still have the company of both their parents. “It’s a real blessing and we are very grateful.”