Ireland's oldest person, 109, dies as amazing life of Co Galway woman remembered

Ireland's oldest lady , who had celebrated her 109th birthday back in May 2024, has sadly passed away.

The woman from a stunning part of Co Galway , originally hailing from England, was well-known in the west of Ireland where she lived for more than four decades.

Born on 23 May 1915 in Newark, Nottinghamshire as Phyllis Olwyn Ryder, Phyllis spent her childhood with one brother, two sisters, and three step-sisters. She bid farewell to life in Co Galway on the evening of 12 August 2024.

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Upon relocating to Galway in 1981, Phyllis shared an entertaining story about her middle initial. Familiarly signing as 'Phyllis O Furness', the Newark native opted to skip using the 'O' after being mistakenly dubbed "Mrs. O'Furness" once too often.

In a piece with Oughterard Heritage, she opened up about her greatest passions. This centenarian from England harbored a deep love for nature, with a particular fondness for the avian delights surrounding her home in Connemara, reports Galway Beo .

Music struck a chord with Phyllis from her early years, and she excelled as a violinist. Not just a music maestro, she also twirled her way to success at Viennese Waltz competitions in her sprightly days.

Life wasn't without its sorrow for Phyllis though; estrangement swallowed her relationship with her younger sister Freda. After decades apart, and at the age of 109, she was still searching for her sibling's search thwarted by old family disagreements that kept them apart for 90 years.

With assistance from her local newspaper, the Newark Advertiser, Phyllis unearthed the deeply upsetting news that Freda, born in 1928, had passed on. The sisters, Phyllis and Freda, had been apart since Freda was merely a year old.

Speaking to the publication, Phyllis expressed her sorrow over having a sister she "never knew" and rued "the curse of family disputes".

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