A message across the miles as Derry grandmother wishes beloved granddaughter living abroad a happy 40th birthday

Laura McCool’s grandmother Anna Kelly and the rest of her family will not see her in person as they had hoped on Saturday because of the lockdown travel restrictions in both countries, but they wanted to ensure they could mark the milestone in a special way and make sure the word gets out that... Lordy, Lordy, Laura is 40!

Laura (the daughter of talented late musician Pat McCool of Logue & McCool band and Anna’s daughter Christine), used to work in Baldies Barbers and got involved in different community initiatives and volunteered at the Stroke Unit when she lived here.

An animal lover and vegan, Laura moved to Spain several years ago with her two dogs in tow, and while by trade a hairdresser and make up stylist, in lockdown, along with her partner Elaine, she got creative and has set up The Littlest Oven food delivery business in the Alicante region where they live.

Her family described her as a “kind, thoughtful, generous girl.”

Mrs Kelly said: “Laura is a very funny wee girl, she is full of fun and laughter and we’ve had so much joy since the day she was born. She is a gift.

“I have five girls, I have eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and they all bring a lot of fun and joy and I love them all, and this is the first grandchild’s special day.

“The first grandchild was a big thing and I remember that night and it feels like a blink since she was born.”

Mrs Kelly recalled how her husband and herself were at the hospital along with proud new dad Pat McCool, who she said had been “high as a kite” with excitement when his baby daughter made her entry into the world, and had launched into the ballad ‘When A Child is Born’ at Altnagelvin Hospital “at the top of his voice”. Her own husband, Mrs Kelly said, had a hunger on him as he always did when he got nervous or excited, and had a packet of biscuits in every pocket.

And four decades on, Anna had a very special message for Laura. “I wish you all the love and joy and happiness - you deserve it, and never forget your roots, your city.”

Anna said she hopes Laura will have happy memories of her 40th and this special message to look back on in the years to come. “All my daughters had planned to go over tho Spain but they can’t do that the way things are, and Laura can’t come home so what better way to send the message than through the Derry Journal.... Laura - this is all the love going your way from Derry to Spain.”

Laura’s aunt Catherine Kelly said that while they won’t be able to wish her happy birthday in person, the family will be sending video birthday messages to Laura.

Catherine said: “We cant celebrate her big 40th with her and are so disappointed.

“There’s so many things we could tell you about Laura, but they can all be summed up in the one line of a Tina Turner song, ‘You’re simply the best’. Laura is simply the best and she has a huge place in each and every one of our hearts. She’s a funny thoughtful madbap one of a kind, and we love her to bits.”

Happy 40th Birthday Laura!