Tessie is keeping stum on the secret to being 100 years young
TESSIE IS A BIG JUDGE JUDY FAN AND SHE LOVES TO DANCE AROUND HER KITCHEN TO THE MUSIC OF DANIEL O’DONNELL
A CENTENARIAN got her big birthday off to flying start when she tracked down Daniel O’Donnell in Rathmore early on Friday morning and got her “snap taken.”
With a beaming smile, Tessie Kelleher of Lisnaboy was every inch the star of the show as she reached the ripe young age of 100 years. She was in high spirits and delightfully devilish form when The Corkman caught up with this dancing queen. “I got to meet Daniel O’Donnell and got my picture taken. Do you know, I often dance around the kitchen to his music. I think he’s just fabulous,” said a clearly delighted Tessie who lives with her much loved daughter Theresa.
For the day, she donned a new outfit and had her hair done. When The Corkman remarked that she was a very stylish lady, Tessie said with a giggle: “Sure, why wouldn’t I? My hair is always done up to the nines.”
When asked the obvious question of what was her secret to reaching her great birthday, Tessie shot back as quick as a flash: “Secret? I can’t be giving away any secrets, that’s why they are secrets.” And she was off again laughing.
She was born in the very house she is now living in and has “never been sick” in her life. Her parents were John and Mary Ann Murphy and Tessie had two brothers and six sisters.
When asked to describe growing up in a farm all those years ago, she said again with a smirk that it was “very easy because I took it easy.” But, of course, Tessie is forever the joker as she worked hard on the farm and milked the cows, fed the calves and stayed up with the bonamhs. To this day, every morning she goes out and feeds her 20 hens and collects their eggs.
Does she have any names for her hens? “Afraid not – no time to get them christened,” said Tessie, who threw her head back for another titter.
Did she ever drive a tractor or a car? “No, never but I did drive a wheelbarrow. I was very good at it.” Via a matchmaker she met and married “a pure gentleman”, Pat Kelleher from Gneeveguilla.
“That’s how it was done back then and I was very lucky. He was a pure gentleman,” she said.
The couple had four girls and one boy: Andrew, Mary, Kathleen, Theresa and Joan. Unfortunately, she said her husband was killed 50 years ago when he fell off a load of turf.
“That was a long time ago now,” said Tessie.
What about a wee drop? “I never once tasted the stuff. No, I never drank or smoked but I jut love anything sweet, cakes, buns, biscuits, chocolate, you name it and I’d be mad for it.
“When it comes to the sweet stuff, you just couldn’t give me enough. But for eating I really like the plain good food like bacon and cabbage with turnip. I wouldn’t like any fancy foods like curries or anything like that,” said Tessie.
And before the subject of TV was even broached she actively volunteered that she was a “massive Judge Judy fan.”
When asked why, Tessie shot back: “She’s a bit like myself. She talks sense and she keeps things under control.” And she’s off again laughing – Tessie, not Judge Judy.
Tessie goes to bed each night after the news and gets up at 9.30am, when she has her porridge and her boiled eggs.
It is then time to feed her hens and she goes out and checks on them and then goes for her walk to the main road. When she gets home it’s time for a quick forty winks and when she wakes up Theresa has her dinner ready.
“You could say there are two Tessies here. She’s one Tessie and I’m the other,” said the birthday girl.
Tessie had kicked off the birthday celebrations earlier in the week as last Tuesday night there was a right little hooley at The Sandpit House.
“I got a new outfit and all for that night out. It was a great party. There were plenty of photographs taken,” she said.
What about reading? “Oh I like to read The Corkman,” smiled Tessie, who would have played a blinder if working in sales and marketing. Before she forgets anything, she blurts out, “Oh put down about the step dancing.”
Her daughter Theresa said that all her mother needs is the sound of a tune on the radio – traditional music or the crooner Daniel O’Donnell will do it, and Tessie springs from her seat and dances around the kitchen. Over the many years she has many marathons danced around her kitchen.
“That’s all I need to get me going is the sound of music and I’m off set dancing. I think it is just fabulous to dance,” she said. And what about cake and chocolate? “Oh that will get me going too,” she laughed.
While Tessie is keeping her long life a top KGB secret, what she does in spades is laugh and has a fantastic outlook on life.
Theresa also throws some light on it. “She doesn’t know what a complaint is as she never had pain and was never in hospital,” said Theresa.
And for the weekend there were more celebrations with family and friends and, of course, the nice little cheque from the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.