https:\/\/armaghi.com\/news\/newry-news\/they-had-no-records-on-him-102-year-old-whitecross-man-who-recently-passed-away-had-never-been-to-the-hospital\/278855<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAt 102 years old, Redmond O\u2019Hanlon was quite possibly the oldest man in County Armagh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A few weeks ago he was admitted to hospital. Whilst he was there, the doctor\u2019s got a surprise\u2026 there were no records under his name. That was because \u2013 apart from a visit to the doctor over twenty years ago when he was suffering from food poisoning \u2013 remarkably, Redmond had never been admitted to hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to his grandson \u2013 Mickey O\u2019Hanlon \u2013 Redmond, \u201cdidn\u2019t take the flu jabs, he didn\u2019t take the covid jabs, he didn\u2019t bother with any of that.\u201d He had never been diagnosed with a serious health condition and had never had surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, avoiding the doctor was something which Redmond claimed contributed to his longevity, commonly asserting: \u201cKeep away from the doctors as long as you can and you\u2019ll live longer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Controversially, Redmond also wasn\u2019t a strong believer in healthy eating. \u201cAll his life he fried [his food] in lard\u201d, Mickey states. \u201cHe took four sugars in his cup of tea and he took four or five cups of tea a day. Anything you weren\u2019t meant to do, he did it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to one of the nurses while he was in hospital Redmond said: \u201cI\u2019m 102, I don\u2019t know how I let this happen, I was never in hospital before.\u201d The nurse replied, \u201csure you would\u2019ve been here about 102 years ago\u201d, and Redmond said: \u201cI wasn\u2019t, I was born in the house!\u201d \u201cHe was very quick with an answer\u201d Mickey said, \u201che was very witty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sadly, on August 4, Redmond passed away surrounded by his family. \u201cIt was a bit of a shock at the end of the day\u201d explained Mickey, \u201cthe longer you have somebody, the more you get attached to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Redmond was born on May 4, 1923 to John Joseph O\u2019Hanlon and Elizabeth O\u2019Hanlon. He was one of six children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He went to St. Terese\u2019s Primary School in Tullyherron and, following this, attended the Abbey CBS in Newry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After graduating from the Abbey, Redmond tried his hand at a wide variety of different jobs, working as a farmer, a mill worker, and a Justice of the Peace. As Mickey states, \u201che was a jack of all trades.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After years of courting, Redmond married the love of his life, Anne Nugent. Anne owned Nugent\u2019s Pub and Post Office in Whitecross, and the marriage resulted in Redmond adding two new jobs to his repertoire\u2026 barman and postman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anne and Redmond had six children together. However, in 1973 Anne tragically passed away. This was a difficult time for Redmond. Yet, with the help of his family and friends, he persevered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When, in 1978, Mickey\u2019s mother passed away, Redmond took him in and raised him like a son.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBeing the local publican, Redmond was an active member of his local community. At one time he was the main sponsor of the St. Killian\u2019s Whitecross GAA team, and players and fans alike would regularly retire to his pub after a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout his life, one of the things Redmond most enjoyed doing was visiting the Newry market where he would catch-up with many of his friends. He was a regular attendee at the Dominican chapel in Newry on Sundays, and most looked forward to the annual Christmas midnight mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until his late 90s Redmond drove his own car and, as Mickey explains \u201cuntil he was 94 or 95 he would\u2019ve still given you a hand with something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A quiet, unassuming man of few words, Redmond left an enduring mark on his local community. Reflecting on his 102 years, Mickey says: \u201cHe was very good-natured\u2026 when you think back about everything he did, you wonder how he had time to do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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