Drum native celebrates 100th birthday in Dublin

Camilla Nolan, formerly Higgins, born at Crannaghmore, Drum, celebrated her one hundredth birthday in St Mary's Hospital, Phoenix Park, Dublin on September 29 last. For the great occasion, the grand old lady, more popularly known as Cis was surrounded by five generations of her family, including her two sons, Joe and Séamus and daughters Maura and Rita, who travelled from Australia, to be part of the celebrations. On the day before her birthday the President of Ireland, Mrs Mary McAleese wrote to Ciss offering her own personal warm congratulations and sincere good wishes along with an enclosed centenarian cheque. The President's letter went on to point out: “Camilla having been born in the second decade of the twentieth century, she would have lived through times of great change in the history of Ireland, having witnessed some remarkable developments in the life styles of the people, particularly in the field of technology, that were unimaginable at the time of Ciss' birth in 1910.†In her home village of Crannaghmore, Camilla was better known as Ciss; she was the second daughter born to James Higgins and Margaret Harney whose family resided in the once thickly populated townland of Crannaghmore. Maynooth-born James Higgins came to Drum when he found employment as a gardener with the Sisters of Mercy at Summerhill Athlone. James and Margaret were married at St Brigid's Church, Drum on October 5, 1905. Soon after their marriage the couple made their home in a neatly built slate roof dwelling in what was known in later years as “The High Village†Crannaghmore. James Higgins and Margaret Harney reared a family of four sons and two daughters The couple's eldest daughter, Mary born on 2nd December 1907; while still a young girl left her home and emigrated to America, where she lived with her widowed aunt, Brigid Harney. How Ciss Got Her Name One of the most remarkable stories related by Ciss in later life was told to her by her mother, Margaret who was expecting a baby (that duly turned out to be Ciss herself) when two nuns called to her home. One of the sisters, named Sr Camillus was a close relation and as she was departing said to Margaret “Now if you give birth to a baby girl, will you call her after me†and said Ciss “that is how I got the name Camillaâ€. In 1911 just one year later Sister Camillus Harney celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her profession at St Clare's College, on the 8th December; the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. Amongst the prize collection of papers Ciss retained over the years was a photograph of Sr Camillus during the time she was a postulant in the order. One of the most dramatic events in Drum during the Black and Tan War – the Cornafulla Ambush, was related by Ciss in later years; it occurred on 21st February 1921. During which time she was attending Cornafulla School. Ciss was returning to her home just as the shooting commenced. Hearing the gunfire her mother rushed out to meet Ciss who, fortunately was then only a short distance from her home. Later that evening word came that the leader of the Flying Column, Comdt James Tormey was killed in action during the ambush. Ciss finished her education at Cornafulla School where she evidently had become an accomplished student. Soon afterwards she undertook writing a diary of events that occurred in Drum; her diary details have been published in the Drum Heritage's latest book “Bygone Timesâ€. The entries in her diary covered Births, Marriages and Deaths and also recorded changes in clerics serving in the parish. It was not surprising that even at this young age Ciss developed an interest in local history and on the many visits she made to her ancestral home-place, last occupied by her late brother John, she passed on numerous pieces of local history to a Drum heritage and history researcher. After finishing school, Ciss found plenty to do assisting her mother in housekeeping duties and preparing meals for her four brothers, Richard, Patrick, James and John. In the early 1930's a young couple named Larry Berrigan and his wife, Agnes (nee Conway) came to live in a nearby dwelling which was formerly the home of a Michael Harney and his wife Brigid Hynes. When a baby girl was born to the Berrigan couple in June 1930, twenty-year-old Ciss was invited to become godmother to their new born baby. The baby was christened Sheila. Just one year later on 15th May 1931, Agnes Berrigan went to her reward, leaving the father, Larry with the sole responsibility of rearing two young girls. Unable to carry on living in Crannaghmore and looking after his two young daughters, Larry Berrigan moved into Athlone and later remarried and reared a second family. Ciss Marries Dublin born James Nolan During the construction of the building of the new church of Ss Peter & Paul's which commenced in 1932 Ciss met Inchicore-born carpenter Jim Nolan. The couple were married in St Peter's Church, on 23rd June 1933. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev Michael Brennan, St Peter's; best man was her brother John and bridesmaid was her cousin Mary Ann Harney. The couple afterwards moved to live on the northside of Dublin city where their four children were born. For several years before the passing of her husband James, Ciss called frequently to her ancestral home at Crannaghmore to visit her brother, John, who lived alone after his three brothers had left the area. Sadly, James Nolan went to his reward in 1989 leaving Ciss, her two daughters, Maura and Rita and two sons, Joe and Seamus who continued living in the family home at Raheny. Godmother And Godchild Meet All during the intervening years Ciss never had an opportunity of meeting her Godchild much as she would have liked to. Having related this information to a researcher attached to the Drum Heritage Group, arrangements were made that the two would meet at the Altar following the Open-Air Mass on the Drum Monastic site in June 1997. There were emotional and touching scenes as the Godmother, Ciss and Godchild, Sheila were reunited before a large congregation, both having received numerous congratulatory handshakes from friends and well wishers. In earlier years Sheila had married a County Limerick born Army man, named Stephen Quaine but sadly he had been called to his eternal reward before the reunification took place at Drum and Sheila too has since been called to her eternal reward. Her family who continue to live in Athlone were one of the first to send congratulatory messages to Ciss on the occasion of her one hundred birthday. All during her long life Ciss never lost touch with the strong faith imparted by her late mother. Apart from attending her regular church going duties she became a strong supporter of the Legion of Mary in her home parish where she was well known. Ciss made regular trips to Knock Shrine and was also present on the occasion of the Papal visit of Pope John Paul to the Phoenix Park in 1979.