A great-great grandmother has had “an absolute ball” celebrating her 100th birthday.
Mary Donegan from Pollok marked the milestone occasion this month with not one but three parties.
The first took place at the South Western Social and Recreation Club in Corkerhill Gardens close to Paisley Road West, while the others were held at the day centre she attends.
Her daughter Fran told the Glasgow Times: “There are so many of us in the family, I thought I would book the South Western Club and we ended up with 140 people there.
“We had a children’s entertainer and we had a fabulous time. Mum loved it.
“She didn’t want any presents and she goes to a nice club, the Meadowburn Day Centre, so she said if anybody wants to put a donation in, we would give it to the club.
“She ended up with £1,050 for them and they are going to use it do something for her at Christmas time.
“They had a party for her on the Monday and she goes on a Thursday too, but it’s a different group of people and they complained they would miss the party, so they had another one for her on the Thursday.
“The wee soul is absolutely shattered but she had an absolute ball.”
One of ten siblings, Mary’s parents were from South Uist and she was born and brought up in Kinning Park before her family moved to Cardonald.
When she married her late husband Frank, they lived with her mother for nine years before they got their own place in Drumchapel in 1956.
The couple stayed there until the end of 1963 when they moved to Pollok, where Mary has lived ever since.
She has lived in her current house for about 46 years.
The centenarian is also mother to Mary, who sadly passed away during Covid, Ian and Kate and is a grandmother of eight.
She has five great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren, who affectionately call her Deedlums after the tune she is fond of singing to babies when she bounces them on her knee.
The 100-year-old, who has always been outgoing, attended swimming classes in Hampden Park until she was in her 90s, as well as various other clubs and enjoying dancing.
There is no doubt, however, that the latter is the secret of her longevity.
“She ended up having three heart attacks in her 50s and yet that’s her 100 now, it’s amazing,” added Fran.
“She says her secret is dancing. That's her immediate answer to everything. She's just such a happy wee soul.
“When she hears music, she’s just got to dance, even if she’s still sitting in her seat.”
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