A WOMAN believed to be the oldest person in Ireland has passed away, just a few months after celebrating her 109th birthday.
Phyllis Furness, who was a resident at the Moycullen Nursing Home in Co. Galway, died on Monday.
She celebrated her landmark birthday at the home on July 14 surrounded by friends and family, including a granddaughter who had travelled from Australia.
Mrs Furness was born in Nottinghamshire, England in 1915.
According to RTÉ News, she retired to Oughterard, Co. Galway in 1981 with her husband, John, who passed away in 1984,
She remained in Oughterard until last year, when she moved to the Moycullen Nursing Home.
A tribute on the Corrib News community facebook page said Mrs Furness 'treasured her time in Oughterard, surrounded by a wide circle of friends'.
"May Phyl's spirit inspire us to embrace life with enthusiasm and to cherish our loved ones," it added.
