Elderly are a credit to our nation

Sir — I wish to congratulate Mr Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo on his prize letter, “One hundred years of stories” (Sunday Independent, September 4).

The wonderful film, already shown in the UK, US and Canada, Older Than Ireland, has created great debate with all and sundry. So many viewers missed the RTE 1 showing on August 31. Possibly there will be a repeat of same at a much earlier time slot, as many of our senior citizens like to snuggle up early.

I compliment each of the 30 participants and their living, caring, devoted families. Their wonderful positivity, stamina, faith and humour, laced with simplicity, all add to their longevity.

Wisdom, hard work and being highly self-sufficient in that era gave them no time for TV. After the daily Rosary, the rambling houses, card games, ghost stories, song and maybe a half-set (dance), the old reliable flash-lamp guided them home safely.

‘Soaps’, in their era, were used in bathtubs. ‘Apple’ was a Beauty of Bath robbed from the neighbour’s orchard. ‘Pin’ was to replace a lost button or hanging hemline. ‘Web’ was the intricate pattern of a spider in sunlight.

The dictionary has taken on a whole new language in recent years, for young and not-soyoung alike.

I am enthralled and in awe daily, listening and learning from my dear mum, Margaret, older relatives and friends in their autumn years.

Definitely Mrs Bessie Nolan, from Drimnagh, Dublin, is a true inspiration to us ladies at 104 years young. She is an overnight television ‘star’ and can show us lassies how to crack the infamous glass ceiling.

I finally say to our senior citizens, enjoy the well-earned retirement, with the welldeserved Christmas bonus from the Government, recliner armchairs, woolly socks, a hot toddy over the festive season.

I am so proud of you. Well done and ‘Happy Days’ to all. Jeanette Leckey Lanesborough,

Co Longford