A special birthday for a special lady as Donegal's Carmel McDermott turns 90
Today’s date, November 22 is etched in people's minds because it was the day we lost President J.F. Kennedy, and Burt's newest nonagenarian Carmel McDermott shares that date because it's her birthdate.
Carmel was born in 1934. She is in good health and still cleans St Aengus' church along with her friends.
As well as helping to run the weekly bingo., Carmel helped for many years baking and making tea in St .Mary’s hall, and to raise a lot of the funding for the building of the new St Aengus' church.
On top of all this she is a very proud Burt lady, and being blessed with a good memory, she is often called upon to settle an argument about the old days.
Possessing a very deep faith, Carmel is a regular Mass attender, which gives her much comfort. She is thankful to her very good neighbours that provides the lifts and looks out generally for her welfare.
Carmel worked for many years in J & T McGinley's tea store in Bridgend, packing the popular Goldpak brand up until the store closed in 1976. She really enjoyed visiting places of pilgrimage, among them Knock, San Giovanni , Assisi, the Holy Land, Fatima and Rome and has even climbed Croagh Padraig.
An avid reader, Carmel looks forward to the weekly papers, and Ireland's Own, and books too, and enjoys her programmes on TV, especially the Chase.
She is also a big fan of Daniel O Donnell. This loyalty was severely tested last Christmas when Carmel needed a stay in Letterkenny hospital She stood on a chair to decorate his picture with holly and down she came. Her recovery was swift and she was back selling bingo books in a few weeks and forgave Daniel.
Carmel was 29 the day that President Kennedy was shot and she was on her way with a friend to visit another friend. They had called in with the late Fr. Laurence Keaveney in the parochial house in Burt and he told them the sad news.
Carmel, have a lovely 90th birthday and many more to come!
Kathleen Grant.