Weekend celebrations in the east Galway village of Gurtymadden, Loughrea, marked the 100th birthday of Pat Clarke, who is the fourth member of his family to reach 100 years of age.
One of the guests who travelled furthest for the party was his sprightly 97-year-old brother Jimmy, who flew in from New York for the celebrations.
Last year their brother Joe, also from Gurtymadden, died at the age of 101 while another brother, former Garda Charles Clarke, also died last year at the Garda Retirement Home in Raheny, Dublin,also having passed the 100 mark.
The Clarkes are a family with a history for longevity, as the mother of the three centenarians also passed the 100 mark before she died in 1976.
On his arrival from the US Jimmy Clarke said that he was also looking forward to keeping up the family tradition by planning for his 100th birthday in three years' time. The Clarke brothers also have three sisters who are still in good health. They are Madge, Sheila and Ciss.
A special Mass to celebrate Pat's feat in passing the century mark took place in St Brendan's Church, Mullagh yesterday at 3 p.m.
The Mass was celebrated by Pat's nephew, the former Galway hurling star, Father Joe Clarke, PP Killnadeema. Afterwards a function in honour of Pat was held in the Meadow Court Hotel, Loughrea.
Pat Clarke, whose wife Phil died a few years ago, lives with his son Seamus and daughter-in-law Renee and family at Gurtymadden. He is the father of two sons, Joe and Seamus, and a daughter, Mary.
Pat was born in the village of Castlenancy, Gurtymadden on August 23rd, 1903. He worked as a farmer for most of his life and says that hard work, preferably outdoors, is the key to longevity.