Write a commentWhen Sarah (Sally) Brady was born in Newry on the 3rd of March 1909, building work on the fated Titanic hadn’t even started!
William Howard Taft was to become the 27th President of the USA the following day, the first men hadn’t even made it to the North Pole and the tallest building in the world was the Singer Tower in New York at a grand old height of 612 feet!
Sally celebrates her 107th Birthday today with her family and friends at her home in Dominic Street in Newry.
A charming, warm, friendly lady, Sally is still active and as chatty as can be. She’s not out as often as maybe she would like in the winter but fondly remembers her daughter taking her out last summer and no doubt is looking forward to the weather improving. “I was out all summer in the car, she took me round the whole country” Sally commented. She was out though getting the hair permed in preparation for this weeks celebrations. She gives the impression that she doesn’t like all the fuss but I think she might secretly like it - just a little bit … and why not. If you can’t have a party for your 107th Birthday, when can you?
Sally was born in Bells Row, Monaghan Street in Newry and lived in Queen Street. Her own mother came from Newry and her father came from Finnegan’s Forge, Forkhill.
Her father worked in the Cattle Market in Patrick Street while her mother looked after the family of nine. Sally’s mother ‘Granny Finnegan’ had ’The Cure’ so the house was always busy with people coming from all over Ireland seeking help with their Sprains, sore heads or Jaundice. Speaking of her parents Sally recalls “My father died very young, he was only 50 but my mother lived till she was 94”
Youngest in the family of four brothers and five sisters, two of her brothers fought in the First World War, one in the navy and one in the army.
She went to St Josephs Primary School in Newry and as a teenager remembers the appearance of the border in the early 1920’s and the difficulties that it caused. She also remembers the large barges known as lighters navigating Newry Canal from Portadown to Newry.
Sarah also remembers the fear surrounding the Black and Tans. “I was only getting confirmation then, I was only young, when they went round
“I remember one day we were playing skipping on the rope and there was a bomb under the bridge down in Francis Street and we all had to run in and get in
“Well they came all up shooting and fighting, the Black and Tans” She also recalls the blackout’s when they had to be in the house for nine or ten o’clock at night.
For dancing and entertainment Newry Town Hall was the spot “There was always plays in the Town Hall” as well as nights out in the Foresters Hall in Omeath and Hourican’s dance hall in Warrenpoint. She would have taken the train to Warrenpoint and back, from the station at Bridge Street.
Sally worked in the old Hospital at Daisy Hill for eleven years and it was around that time when she met Willie Brady the man she was to marry. As she says herself “My husband was from Markethill, best man in it” They married on the 21st of June 1939 and had five of a family Jim, Mary, Teresa, Lilian and Mickey.
Just before the war the pair spent some time in Newcastle upon Tyne where Willie was an Electrician in the Shipyard with Swan Hunter. “I was in England when the second world war started, I was married, I was only three months married when it started” With the outbreak of the war there was nothing for it but for them to come home.
Her husband passed away in 1985 and her eldest son Jim, a Professor in UCD passed away in 1998.
One Newry Characters she remembers was Biddy Ardee an old lady that used to go round begging. On shops she recalls Donnegan’s and O’Hare’s and Livingstone’s in Francis Street, the shops were much smaller family concerns not like today.
Sally recalls that “You could have left your door open years ago” but still with all her years under her belt would still agree that the Newry of today is better that the one of years ago! With an extended family of 24 Grandchildren and 27 Great Grandchildren, life would certainly never be dull.
And the last word of wit from the lady herself (so I better keep it out of the papers!) “I hope this will not be in the paper” “If it is I’ll sue you’s”
