The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Queenie Foley: 100 years young
THERE WAS a very special occasion witnessed in a small part of North Kerry this past month, as one of Kerry’s longest living residents celebrated a very extraordinary milestone in her life, her 100th birthday to be exact.
Nora Foley, more affectionately known by friends and family as Queenie, was born in Beale in Kerry on August 26, 1916 and has throughout her long life witnessed some of the great stepping stones of Independent Ireland.
This includes visits from the Black and Tans to her home village of Beale and even witnessing the emergency landing of the Princess Xenia aircraft on Beale Strand in 1927, after its unsuccessful flight from Ireland to America.
Queenie, who ran the popular ‘Foleys’ shop in Lixnaw with her husband Paddy for many years, attended Beale School until she was 11 before moving to the Presentation Convent in Lixnaw up until the age of 15, when she had to leave education due to the financial burden on her parents.
From here, Queenie worked in a drapers shop in Ballybunion, moved from Tralee to Ballyheigue, before eventually settling into life in Lixnaw, where built her house and her shop, at the famous Cross in the village, where she worked until handing it over to her Liam and his wife, Kathleen.
Queenie is now living a peaceful life in the Kilcara Nursing Home in Duagh where she was helped to celebrate her milestone centenary birthday with family, friends and members of staff, and during which, she was presented with a congratulatory letter from President Higgins, along with a cheque for €2,540.