Offaly native celebrates 100th birthday today

An Offaly native celebrates her 100th birthday today (Friday) in Dublin. Sr Anne Claffey, who originally hails from Endrim in Ferbane, will mark the birthday milestone with a celebration Mass and party at Mount Sackville convent in Chapelizod. A member of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny order, Sr Anne will be joined on the day by her nephews Tom and Pat Joe Higgins from Shannon Harbour, along with a large group of friends and neighbours from Ferbane who are travelling to the capital for the celebrations. Entering religious life just before the breakout World War II, the Ferbane native spent the duration of the war in occupied Paris and later several decades in Bordeaux, before coming back to her native Ferbane to retire. Well known and popular among people in Ferbane, she was heavily involved in parish work during her time there and helped out with pastoral work in Gallen Priory Nursing home getting to know many of the residents. Some years ago, she relocated to the order's house in Mount Sackville in Dublin. She is last surviving member of her family and is predeceased by her parents Frank and Annie, sisters Annie and Elizabeth and brothers Tom and Frank. Mass will also be celebrated in St Mary's Church, Ferbane on Friday morning to mark Sr Anne's 100th birthday before the celebrations kick-off in Dublin at 6.30pm.