Fondest of farewells for ever-stylish Bessie, 106
THE funeral of one of the stars of the documentary Older Than Ireland heard how the glamorous greatgreat granny ‘finally made it onto God’s list’ at the age of 106 but promised that she would be back.
Esther ‘Bessie’ Nolan shot to fame in 2014 when she starred in the hit documentary about centenarians.
Hundreds packed into the church of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Drimnagh, south Dublin, to say their final farewell to their ‘oldest and most stylish parishioner’. The glamorous granny died on February 28 while in the care of St Mary’s Hospital in the Phoenix Park.
Churchgoers heard how Bessie had lived through the First World War, the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence and World War II… and all by the age of 34.
Yesterday, in a moving eulogy, her granddaughter Deirdre told mourners how she asked her grandmother if she would ‘miss her’ when she died, to which Bessie replied, ‘Of course I will, but I’ll be back for you’. The congregation heard how Bessie had full belief in the resurrection and that she would ‘meet her family and husband again’. She said she would come back to collect her relatives when their time came to an end.
Canon John Flaherty said Bessie had put her long life down to eating peanuts as a child, hard work and
‘Finally made it to God’s list’
always enjoying fashion. Bessie, whose favourite colour was pink, had been born in Prosperous, Co. Kildare, with the family later moving to Inchicore in Dublin. ‘Bessie developed a sense of fashion and style,’ said Deirdre. ‘She enjoyed nothing better than window-shopping and going to her aunt’s house and asking her to make “beautiful coats and outfits”.’
Mourners also heard how Bessie once caused a huge commotion by refusing to go into hospital because her curlers were not in, and left the ambulance crew waiting while her hair was perfected.
Bessie’s last birthday turned into a media occasion, with the fun-loving pensioner telling reporters how she had met her husband Jackie at the age of 14, and electing to marry him aged 19 in 1931 even though she had ‘many admirers’.
They had five children, but Jackie died in 1969 aged just 59.
Bessie’s remains were removed to Newlands Cross Crematorium.