A great-grandmother from Northern Ireland has revealed the secret to a long life after her family and friends celebrated her 100th birthday by her side this week.
Emma Cairns, who was born on July 26, 1922, has lived and worked in Co Derry her whole life – raring a family of six children including three boys and three girls.
Speaking to MyDerry , her daughter Loreen said that her mother loved growing up in her home in the Dunlaid area of the North Coast.
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"She loved her neighbours and have a lot of time for them," said Loreen. "She always told us that she had great neighbours and she always had the fondest of memories living in Dunlaid.
"But she would always say that she would have to work very hard because times were tough and she would tell us how she would have to walk to school in her bare feet, so she would put her long life down to that. She is a very strong woman."
Family and friends gathered together on Tuesday to celebrate the occasion, where the centenarian was proudly shown her birthday card from the Queen.
"We gathered on Tuesday, on the day of her birthday, and it was lovely to get all of the family and friends together to celebrate the day with her.
"I think she was a bit overwhelmed by the number of people that were there. She has six children, 18 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren with another one on the way very soon.
"She was a very good mother to all of her children and has been very loving to all of her family, including grandchildren. She looked after us all very well.
"She enjoyed her day and she looks very well for being 100. She can't get about as much as she used to, but she tries her best every day and we were happy to be able to celebrate this milestone with her."
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