Centenarian Award travels down under to 102-year-old Laois woman in Australia

Originally from Rathdowney, Sr. Eileen Creagh has lived in Australia for over 70 years

Published 2nd Jul 2026, 21:55 BST Sr. Eileen Creagh pictured receiving her award alongside Brother Aengus Kavanagh , a Patrician brother from Abbeyleix who is living in Ryde, Sydney, and a long-time friend and relative of Sr Eileen. Originally from Rathdowney, Sr. Eileen Creagh has lived in Australia for over 70 years Sign up to our Laois Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Laois Live within your account.

The Laois Centenarian Award has travelled halfway across the world to a Rathdowney woman living in Australia for over 70 years.

Laois County Council , through Age Friendly Laois, announced Sr. Eileen Creagh as the second recipient of the Centenarian Award this week.

The Centenarian Award is a new programme designed to honour residents of County Laois who reach the age of 100. Each centenarian is honoured with a commemorative coin, specially designed to mark this extraordinary achievement.

Orphaned at a young age, Sr. Eileen Creagh devoted her life to faith, education, and service, journeying from Rathdowney to Australia where she has spent decades teaching.

Sr. Eileen was born in Harristown, Rathdowney on October 14, 1923 to Michael and Ellen Creagh. She was the third of nine children. Sr. Eileen’s mother sadly passed away after the birth of her ninth child and her father passed away less than three years later which left all nine children orphaned.

After her mother’s death, nine-year-old Eileen went to live with her Uncle Thomas where she was a great help to his wife Katie in the rearing of their young family and with general chores around the house and farm.

She attended primary school at the St. John of God Convent in Rathdowney. Sr. Eileen was a bright child and liked school and the religious Sisters very much. After primary school, her Aunt Katie made enquiries with the Brigidine Convent in Tullow, County Carlow and Sr. Eileen was awarded a scholarship as a full-time boarder. She passed Matriculation and the Leaving Cert with honours in 1941.

Sr. Eileen was drawn to the religious way of life and decided to enter the Brigidine Order. She entered the Novitiate in Tullow on February 1, 1942 and took her vows in August 1944, after which she embarked on a life of missionary work and teaching.

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Sr. Eileen taught in Denbeigh, North Wales for 3 years and in 1947 volunteered to go to Australia to join the Brigidines there.

In December 1947, six Irish Sisters secured their visas to travel to Australia, three from Laois, one from Tullow, one from Whitby in the UK and one from Hacketstown, County Carlow. They boarded the S.S. Orion in December 1947. On arrival in Sydney, they were met by members of the Campion family from Ballagh, Rathdowney and were driven to Randwick, the Brigidine Mother House.

The Rathdowney woman taught at Randwick for a year and was then sent to Perth to open a new school in a new suburb called Wembley. She went on to spend a total of nine years in Western Australia and returned in 1954 to Randwick and took on the role of Bursar. Her capabilities were recognised further in 1961 when she was appointed Mother Superior at Cowra in New South Wales, 300 miles from Sydney.

In 1966, Sr. Eileen was transferred back to Western Australia as Mother Superior and spent six happy years teaching there. She spent a further six years in Queensland and then spent some time in Coonamble, New South Wales where the Brigidine Sisters had established their first Australian base in 1883. In 1990, Sr. Eileen was tasked with the care of frail and elderly Sisters back in Randwick. She also taught English at this time.

In 1996, it was time for Eileen to retire to a newly prepared hostel for sisters and seculars at Brigidine House, Randwick.

Sr. Eileen is now 102 years old and has given a lifetime of service with the Brigidine Order. She is happily resident in Brigidine House, Randwick. She continues to keep abreast of current affairs and is fully mobile and in the best of health. She keeps in regular contact with family members in Brisbane, Wexford and Rathdowney.

Speaking on behalf of Laois County Council, Cathaoirleach Catherine Fitzgerald said: “I would like to extend my warmest wishes to Sr. Eileen as she receives her Centenarian Award.

“To honour a Laois native who has made their life on the other side of the world is a privilege for us at Laois County Council. It shows the strength of the Laois connection at home and abroad. I warmly congratulate Sr. Eileen on reaching this remarkable milestone.”