Ruby Druce 'enriched the lives of so many', funeral Mass of 109-year-old hears

Leaving the world as she arrived into it, a Christening robe over 109 years old was placed on the coffin of Ruby Druce.

The funeral Mass of the inspirational 109-year-old at St Mary’s Church took place in Castlefin on Sunday afternoon.

Trees still bare, showing just the early signs of bloom, swayed in the breeze as Ruby, who was Ireland’s oldest person before her death on Friday, was laid to rest.

Eight members of An Garda Síochána formed a guard of honour and respectfully saluted as Ruby’s remains were taken to and from the Church.

Born on New Year’s Eve in 1915, at Sandy Row, Castlefin she was 109 years and 80 days old when she slipped to her eternal rest. She lived for an incredible 39,894 days before the call came at around 2am on Friday and was Ireland’s oldest person before her death.

Castlefin fiddler Matt McGranaghan played The Lark In The Clear Air as the funeral cortège made its way to the Church and the sound of Liam Harkin’s clarinet filled the air as Ruby was taken to her place of rest in the adjoining cemetery - in the shadows of the old Church where she was baptised over 109 years ago.

The Christening gown holds a weight of history and her great-grandniece, Ruby Shields, was among the gift-bearers having also been baptised in the same robe.

Fr Ciaran Harkin, the parish priest of the Aughaninshin parish in Letterkenny, where Ruby spent 10 years while living with her niece Margo Butler, who sadly passed away last summer, celebrated the funeral Mass.

“She was blessed with an extraordinarily long life,” Fr Harkin said. “She enriched the lives of so many different people in so many ways. I did my best to turn her into a Letterkenny woman, but she was Castlefin through and through.” 

Martin Harran, the husband of Ruby’s niece Carmel, with whom Ruby spent the final eight months of her life, told the congregation how he last stood at the pulpit in St Mary’s Church on the occasion of Ruby’s 100th birthday.

“The entire village turned out to celebrate with her and what was supposed to be a quiet cup of tea turned into a major logistical exercise,” he recalled. “We never imagined that day that we would enjoy Ruby for another nine years.

“When the media talk about Ruby’s life, they talk about the things that she lived through, but it struck me that Ruby’s real history was Ruby herself and the people she touched from her days as a teenager in the shirt factory to her position as Ireland’s oldest person.

“There was a large spectrum of people who loved Ruby, from young children who adored her to people who shared so many great memories of Ruby.”

Ruby Druce with family members at her 109th birthday. (North West Newspix)

Mr Harran said Ruby was very lucky in having the extended family to care for her and “it was Ruby herself who created that”.

“She was someone who was very easy to like and to love. I genuinely cannot exaggerate how much of a privilege it was for Carmel and me to have Ruby in our home for the last eight months.”

Mr Harran thanked the large number of people who aided Ruby, including the team of home helpers, nurses and priests. 

A number of items reflecting Ruby’s remarkable life were brought forward at the beginning of the Mass: A photograph from the day of her wedding to her childhood sweetheart Jim Druce in 1956; a cover of the local history club’s annual which showed several images from Ruby’s life; her ninth centenarian medal sent by President Michael D Higgins for her 109th birthday in December; a symbol of her love of boiled sweets; a copy of the Messenger magazine which she used to deliver in the locality; her Rosary beads; and her Christening robe.

A pioneer and a non-smoker all her life, she survived two global pandemics - the Spanish Flu in 1918 and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. She was vaccinated against Covid-19 in February 2021 at the age of 105.

Born before daylight saving time was widely implemented and four months before the Easter Rising of 1916, Rugby also lived through the two World Wars.

Fr Harkin told the large attendance  that Ruby had waited patiently for the call from God.

“It was very much a prayerful waiting,” Friday Harkin said. “It seemed to me that Ruby was in a state of continual prayer.”

Fr Harkin remembered a woman whose kindness, caring nature and interesting sense of humour touched the lives of many. “She had a great zest for life and took an interest in the lives of other people. She left a deep impression on so many.  

“Ruby Druce fought the good fight to the end, she ran the race and she certainly kept the faith.”

Members of An Garda Síochána salute as the remains of 109-year-old Ruby Druce are taken from St Mary's Church. Photos: Joe Boland (North West Newspix)

She worked for 48 years in Porter’s Shirt Factory and often credited walking, hard work and a daily cod liver oil capsule for her incredible life.

Ruby was a massive fan of Donegal country star Daniel O’Donnell. Last year, when she was visited by Daniel and his wife Majella, she joined Daniel in a rendition of ‘The Homes of Donegal’.

“I had the privilege of meeting her last year,” Daniel said in a tribute. “What a fantastic woman she was. Sympathies to all her family. May she rest in peace.”

Up until 2024, Ruby watched Mass every morning on YouTube and was a much loved citizen in her hometown, where she switched on the Christmas lights in 2022.

Castlefin-based Sinn Fein Councillor Gary Doherty said: “She was known to all, both young and old, and was an inspiration to many with her attitude to life and willingness to live life to its fullest.

“We didn't need any election in Castlefin for the title of King or Queen. There was only one winner, and she is now at her eternal peace…Rest In Peace Ruby Druce, the 'Queen of Castlefin’.”