WEST IS BEST
IF you want to live past the 100 mark
COULD there be more to the Wild Atlantic Way than just breathtaking scenery? And are Galwegians drinking from a secret fountain of youth?
Figures obtained by the Irish Mail on Sunday reveal that there are now more than 1,000 people aged 100 and over in Ireland – more than twice the number of centenarians recorded in the census two years ago.
The figures, when taken on a per capita basis, reveal that the long-livers seem to be based around our coastline.
Correspondence from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection shows that currently there are 1,016 people aged 100 and over, while the census conducted in April 2016, recorded less than half that – 456 centenarians at that point in time.
However, the census did predict that by the present day that figure was likely to surpass 1,000, given the steady increase in people living much longer lives.
The data obtained doesn’t just show the growth in the number of centenarians but also the concentration areas of Ireland’s oldest citizens.
Galway has the most centenarians, with 66 people living to 100 and beyond, followed by Donegal with 50, Kerry with 46 and Mayo with 44.
While Dublin has 273 centenarians, given its population size, it does not have one of the biggest number of centenarians in the country.
‘Number has doubled since the 2016 census’
On a per capita basis – using the ratio of centenarians to the population of each county – Mayo tops the league, followed by Donegal, Kerry and Clare.
Indeed, a Co. Clare native, Kathleen Snavely, was the only Irish person to live to 113, but there are currently no known supercentenarians – those aged 110 and above.
Eight have previously been recorded in the history books – all women and, again, predominantly from the west coast, including Clare, Cork, Donegal and Galway, as well as Louth, Roscommon and Northern Ireland.
There are six 108 year olds in Ireland; 11 people aged 107; 20 aged 106, and 87 citizens who have reached their 105th birthday.
Throughout the world, so-called ‘blue zones’ have been mapped where the highest number of people live the longest lives.
The Italian island of Sardinia, Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan and Nicoya in Costa Rica have predominantly featured year on year.
But experts can’t definitively say whether the mapping patterns of Ireland’s centenarians is due to the sea air, possibly better Guinness, genetics, lifestyle or the traditionally older profile in rural areas.
Many have tried to identify the answer to the oft-repeated question: ‘What’s the secret to living to 100?’
The profiles of those who have passed the centenary mark – currently accounting for less than 1% of the population – has left many scratching their heads.
Professor Kieran Walsh, of the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology at NUI Galway, has nonetheless identified one common thread.
He told the MoS that, from the centre’s research, those who live to 100 ‘aren’t passive citizens but remain actively engaged with their communities and are still contributing in some way’.
‘If you have six people currently aged 108 in Ireland, I would be pretty sure that they would all be quite different from each other.
‘Living to 100 and over is not just about pension entitlements and access to care but it is also about being engaged socially,’ he said.
Alex Fegan, the writer and director of Older Than Ireland interviewed 30
centenarians nationwide for the2015RTÉdocumentary, which hassince captured the hearts of theIrish diaspora worldwide.
‘I had never me tone centenarianbefore doing this documentary , so Ihad narrow preconceptions as towhat people over 100 might be like ,’M rF egan told the Mo S.
‘I thoughtt hey might be frail orunable to remember their childhoods or early memories.
‘Anyone can see from thedocumentaryhowwrong we wereon that.
‘They were very clear about theirearliestmemories and were very“withit”. They didn’tremain stagnant at any point–they were very muchapartofmodernIreland.
‘Interms of their secret, weneverreallydiscovered that because everyone was sodifferent.
‘There were centenarianswho never atevegetables in theirlives and others who stillsmokedand drank or liked to gamble.Some hadn’t done exercise in alongtime.
‘Whatthey all had in common was that theyliked to talk and tell theirstory, so they werestill engagingwith what was around them, and Ithink that was a big factor.’
Justin Moran, head of advocacyand communications with AgeAction, told the MoS that he wassurprised to learn that the number of centenarians has now surpassed1,000. Hestressed that successiveg overnmentshave ‘simply failed toprepare for the changescominginIreland’ in terms of its ageing demographic.‘ All too often our ageing-population is presented as aproblem – as a “pensions timebomb” or language like that.
‘The fact we are living longer,healthier lives is a success story, something to be celebrated.
But Mr Moran said the State isfacing ‘apolicycrisis because weare not confronting the challengesor exploiting the opportunitiesanageing population presents.
‘The National Positive AgeingStrategyhasbeengatheringdustsince 2013. There is still noimplementation plan, no targets, nodeadlines, no budget or any accountability. We need to startgetting serious about preparing forachanging Ireland,’ he said.
The department said the figuresof those living to 100 and aboveare subject toregular‘ risk-based’checks and supplemented by random sample checks.
‘Death registrations are collectedby the General Register Office,which operatesaegis of the department and results inimmediate termination of payment,’ it advised.
‘Inaddition, social welfare inspectors visit each centenarian prior totheir 100th birthday and obtaindetails of their next of kin/carerornursing home contact details.
‘Those who are subsequentlyapproaching their 101st birthdayand beyond have their details verified in advance of receivingtheir annual medal from the President,’ said a departmentspokesperson.
‘All of them engage with the world around them’