Ireland’s Oldest Woman Turns 109, Remembers Surviving Two Pandemics and a Century of Change
Castlefinn, County Donegal — As fireworks welcomed the New Year, Ruby Druce quietly marked a milestone that few people on earth will ever see — her 109th birthday. Born on December 31, 1915, Ruby is believed to be Ireland’s oldest living person, a title she carries with humility, humor, and remarkable clarity.
Her life, stretching from the final months of World War I to the digital age, is a living chronicle of Ireland’s history — one that includes two global pandemics, two world wars, and more than a century of profound change.
Sitting comfortably in her Donegal home, Ruby reflected on the secret to her extraordinary longevity. “Walking, hard work, and cod liver oil,” she said with a smile. “I never thought in all my years that I’d live this long.”
Ruby has lived through events most only read about. She was a toddler during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, which infected a fifth of the world’s population and claimed an estimated 50 million lives. She vividly recalls that time — not for the illness itself, but for the personal loss her family suffered.
“Two of Ruby’s siblings died within a week,” said her nephew Martin Harran, who now cares for her alongside his wife Carmel. “Her baby sister Mary Elizabeth and her little brother James, who had beautiful blond curls, both passed away before Christmas 1918. Ruby was just short of her third birthday, but she remembers the two coffins in the house.”
Miraculously, Ruby herself survived the deadly flu — and she still remembers how. “Her father gave her a couple of teaspoons of poitín,” Martin said. “It was the only time in her life she ever drank alcohol. She’s been a pioneer — alcohol-free — for 94 years since.”
In her long and remarkable life, Ruby has never smoked and rarely drank — apart from that fateful sip of poitín. She worked in a shirt factory in Donegal for more than four decades before leaving to care for her elderly father, George, a local shoemaker.
Her story is also one of love and devotion. Ruby met her husband, Jim Druce, a musician from Scotland, when they were just 14 years old in 1929. The two married in 1956 and were inseparable until Jim’s death in 1970. “They loved simple things — going to the seaside in Bundoran on his little Honda 50 motorbike,” Martin recalled. “She still talks about those days with a sparkle in her eyes.”
Ruby lived independently in her home until 2023, when a hip injury led her to move in with her niece. Despite her age, she remains sharp, witty, and endlessly curious. “She still knows all the neighbors’ names and remembers everyone’s birthday,” Carmel said. “Her memory is incredible.”
Among the many people who hold Ruby dear is Irish country music star Daniel O’Donnell, who has become a close friend over the years. Each year, Daniel visits to celebrate her birthday — often bringing music, laughter, and a few tears. During his 2024 visit, he and Ruby sang “The Homes of Donegal” together, a moment captured and cherished by fans across Ireland.
“She’s such an inspiration,” Daniel said afterward. “You can’t meet Ruby and not feel joy. She’s lived through more than any of us could imagine, yet she still radiates kindness and gratitude.”
Born in the small Donegal town of Castlefinn, Ruby was the eldest of five children to George Crawford and Elizabeth McBride. She has outlived her siblings, her husband, and most of her contemporaries — yet she continues to approach each day with quiet faith and humor.
When she turned 100 in 2015, Ruby received a centenarian’s cheque from the President of Ireland, which she immediately donated to local charities. Since then, she has received nine commemorative coins from successive Presidents, each one marking another year of life and resilience.
Her story, told with laughter and tears, is one of endurance and compassion — a testament to an era when hardship was met with courage and community.
Now, at 109, Ruby still enjoys chatting with visitors, recalling local history, and sharing advice with younger generations. “Be kind, work hard, and don’t waste time worrying,” she says. “And take your cod liver oil — it keeps you going.”
As she celebrated surrounded by family and well-wishers, the soft Donegal winter sunlight fell across her face — the face of a woman who has seen the world change beyond imagination, yet never lost her faith in life’s simple goodness.
And when asked how she feels about turning 109, Ruby smiled gently and said, “I’m just grateful to still be here — to see another year, and to remember it all.”