A County Galway family has made it into the Guinness Book of Records – for extraordinary longevity.
The astonishing gene pool of the Clarkes of Castlenancy, Mullagh in East Galway has been recognised by the record books.
Madge Fanning Clarke, passed away peacefully in November but not before reaching her 100th birthday, becoming the fifth member of her family to do so.
A family in England had four centurion siblings but the Clarkes officially broke that record this year according to Guinness Book of Records and are the only family to have five siblings who reached the 100-mark.
The certificate of the record is on its way to Madge’s son, who lives in Dublin.
“It’s absolutely amazing. People from the Guinness Book of Records rang during the week to confirm we had made it. The certificate is in the post. There was a family in England that had four, and we had five. In January, please God, her sister turns 98. It is just amazing,” said her son Joe Clarke.
The ‘baby’ of the family, Sheila, who lives in a nursing home in Portumna, celebrates her 98th birthday this coming January.
Madge’s brother Joe Clarke was the first to reach the milestone on January 1, 2001. He was followed by Charlie in 2002, Pat in 2003 and Jimmy in 2006. Jack (also known as Sean) died in 1999 just a few months short of his centenary. Hubie died in 2002 at age 88 – the same year which claimed Joe and Charlie. Jimmy and Hubert emigrated to America. Charlie was the last surviving member of the Garda Siochána formed in 1922 following the civil war.
The matriarch also reached 100, Margaret Clarke, nee Coen, died in 1975, leaving behind 79 grandchildren. She was killed in a car crash before reaching her 101st birthday.
Of the thirteen Clarke children – nine boys and four girls – their total lives clocked up a mind-blowing 1,200 years.
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune – in the shops on Christmas Eve.
