Limerick lady Kitt feels the 90th birthday love through glass

KITT Moore has five children, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren but sadly due to this horrible virus not one of them could hug her on her 90th birthday.

But while her family couldn’t physically wrap their arms around Kitt they all visited her to show, emotionally, just how much she is loved. And staff in Beech Lodge Care Facility in Bruree made a big fuss of the lady from Knocksounsa, Kilmallock.

Kitt’s youngest daughter, Rosie, said family members went back at different stages of the day to see her. She described it as “bittersweet”.

“We stayed outside, waved in to her and handed the cards and presents to the staff. She was mad to come out! 

“She came as far as the door with her walker. She was fine, she wasn’t upset, it was just sad,” said Rosie, who has four siblings – Tom, PJ, Katrina and Annette.

Over 50 birthday cards were dropped in for the popular lady.

“She was delighted. It brought a smile to her face and Beech Lodge gave her a lovely cake,” said Rosie.

The letter Kitt, wife of the late John, is holding in the lovely photo came all the way from Thailand, where her relative Chloe Randles is living.

“She sent her a card and photographs from her travels so she was delighted with that,” said Rosie.

A 90th birthday party was planned for the Charleville Park Hotel but it had to be postponed. A pity as Kitt would have been in her element.

“She is very outgoing. She loves to get dressed up and go out. The hotel were very good, they said they would put it on hold and whenever we are ready to go to come back to them.

“She loves meeting people, chatting and is very sociable. A  lot of people in Kilmallock miss her because every Friday she would get her hair done and go into the SuperValu. She could be two hours in there meeting and chatting to everyone,” said Rosie.

Kitt’s popularity with young and not so young was reflected by the close to 100 comments and 200 likes on Beech Lodge’s Facebook page.

Anne Maria Moore, proprietor of the care facility in Bruree, said: “We were all so sad that Kitt couldn’t celebrate her 90th birthday with her family. We tried to make this wonderful milestone as special as possible for her. We presented Kitt with a birthday cake and all the staff and residents sang Happy Birthday. She is a wonderful lady with a wonderful family.”

Ms Moore thanked all the residents’ families for obeying the strict no visiting rules at this time in Beech Lodge and Ennis Road Care Facilities, and all her staff.

“Everybody is going beyond the call of duty. Our dedicated activity therapists are creating a fun, person centred, atmosphere every day,” said Ms Moore. As a qualified nurse, she added that their thoughts and prayers are with all the health staff at this time.