A 103-year-old resident of a Wexford community has recently been featured in a folklore project, capturing oral history of the county. A native of Courtnacuddy, Bridie Buckley, who will turn 104 later this year, recorded an interview with artist, filmaker and founder of the Folklore.ie resource, Michael Fortune recently at St John’s Community Hospital, Enniscorthy Co Wexford.
Reflecting on Bridie’s involvement and the hospital’s engagement with the project, Director of Nursing, Deepa George described the experience as a “wonderful connection for all involved.”
Born in 1922, Bridie has lived all her life in the Davidstown/Courtnacuddy parish and is full of knowledge and stories relating to that rural part of the county. She was just 38 years old in 1961 when her husband, Frank Buckley, sadly passed away.
Over the next decades Bridie worked the family homestead herself along with her son Seán and daughter Mary. Three years ago, Bridie celebrated her 100th birthday at a function in the Millenium Bar, Davidstown, joined by Seán, Mary, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Seán, who had been living in Kilanne and was himself a contributor to Folklore.ie online resources, passed away a year later.
Over the last two decades, Michael Fortune’s work has come to national and international attention through his features documenting oral history, place-based recordings, furniture and farm gates in Co Wexford, as well as other parts of Ireland and Newfoundland, Canada. In addition to publications and programmes made with RTÉ, the online archive of Folklore.ie includes over 300 video clips and over 1,500 other recordings.
Outlining the engagement with Folkore.ie, SJCH Activities Co-ordinator, Mary Fox, stated how they have a “comprehensive and varied therapeutic and recreational activity programme in the hospital.
“A cohesive team led by nurse management has valued support from the Friends of St John’s Hospital Committee, our volunteers and two Community Employment Schemes. The residents and staff love to see Michael Fortune come in. One cannot underestimate the basic value of enjoying a chat, sharing one’s experience - our activity programme is further enriched by the involvement with Folklore.ie”
This engagement and this activity illustrates how the HSE is implementing healthy ageing by moving beyond traditional models of care to provide age-friendly services that support older people to remain safe, healthy, independent and connected, while enabling them to continue to contribute to and flourish within their communities in ways that matter to them.
Deepa George further noted how “St John’s Community Hospital, as a residential care facility, is deeply appreciative of the support we receive from families and the wider community throughout Co Wexford. The involvement with Michael is a wonderful connection for SJCH to have and a mutually beneficial aspect of our activities programme.”
Community Employment Supervisor Margot Banville-Hogan, who was interviewed along with Bridie, said all the residents, staff and friends of St John’s Community Hospital looked forward to hearing and seeing Bridie’s contribution in the coming weeks.