Nice surprise for Rose to mark 80th
ON Saturday night I headed for Lennon’s Bistro on the Castleblaney Road where a rather special surprise 80th birthday party was being held for Rose Casey from Fane View and there to make sure she had an excellent night was husband Jamsie, kids Majella, Aileen, Sharon, Ursula and Niall, grandkids Seán, Stephen, Matthew, James, Victoria Taragh, .Kim, Ava and Nessa, her brothers Gerard, Jimmy, Noel and Tony, sisters Anne and Marie along with a huge collection of neighbours and friends.
Rose was tricked into thinking that she was just going out for a quiet meal, only to find out the entire place packed out to wish her all the best on her big day.
I decided I’d better have a look to see who else was there and headed towards the bar where I met up with, Stephen and Seán Reidy who were with Stephen’s girlfriend Una Kavanagh from Tullamore and they were definitely up for making it a real night to remember and wanted to wish granny Rose all the best on her big night.
Not too far away I then caught up with their dad Ciaran who was with wife Aileen and Ciaran’s brother Noel Reidy from Blackrock who tried to tell me it was going to be a quiet celebration, not a chance, I thought.
After this I headed over for a chat with Leslie and Jennifer Harrison from Newtownbalregan who told me they are friends of Rose’ and were delighted to be there to wish her a very happy 80th.
Also in their company were Dickie and Patricia Callan from Culhane Street who told me that he worked with James for 40 years and they were enjoying the evening with life long friends Dermot and Ann Connolly from Newtownbalregan who were up for making the best of the party with their friend Rose.
Not too log later I got a word with Mick Hackett from Drogheda who was with his wife and another life long friend Margaret who has known her for nearly 70 years and is a regular visitor down to see her.
Also in their company were Yvonne Curtis from Seacrest Manor who was with her dad and Rose’ brother Gerry Curtis from Hughes Park who were on for making it a real night to remember.
Heading for another group I then got talking to some of Rose’ friends and they included Marie Casey from Beechmount Drive, Imelda Cotter from Cluan Enda, May and Gerry Mathews from Legion Avenue, Rose Farrell from Willow Grove, John and Brigid Cahill from Greenacres who have been friends for absolute years and certainly wouldn’t have missed this night for anything.
Meanwhile over at the raised area I then got talking to nieces Karen Magee from Luton who ws with Susan Gaffney from Monaghan and the birthday girl’s sister-in-law Kathleen Curtis from Willow Grove who wanted to wish Rose all the best on her big night.
They were joined by Rose’ uncle Oliver Curtis from Barton Park who was with Nuala Dullaghan from Haggardstown who were there to make sure that Rose had an excellent night and wanted to wish her all the best on her big night.
After this I got a word with Patsy Charity who is married to Rose’ sister Marie and had come over from Luton specially for the night along with daughter Lisa and other daughter Susan and Stephanie who were over from Monaghan and ready to make the best of the celebrations. Patsy told me he is originally from Hill Street and he gets his Argus every Sunday morning in ‘Gerry The Butchers’ in Luton along with “2 sausages, 3 pieces of bacon and a bit of black pudding” which he said are “an ideal remedy for a hangover”. Big shout out for Gerry then!
Ok, enough of the remedies, I then headed over for a chat with Laura and Aidan Corrigan from Avenue Road who were enjoying the company of Tommy and Marian Corrigan from Greenacres, Sindy McKinley from Laurel Grove and Kathleen O’Kane from Greenacres who wanted a big shout out for their old neighbours Rose and Jamsie and assured me it was going to be an excellent night.
At an adjacent table I then met up with Orlaith Mulligan and Aisling McStravick both from Belfry Avenue who were there with Rose’ granddaughter Taragh Fee from Haggardstown and they were certainly going to make the best of the night with Rose.
Finally, before I departed, I then got talking to Margaret and Jimmy Roe from O’Hanlon Park who told me that Margaret and Rose and two of the now infamous Bingo Girls and were going to have a great night with their friend.