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WATCH: 100-year-old Margaret Lynch writes emotional letter to her great-grandson


By Edaein OConnell
23rd May 2020
WATCH: 100-year-old Margaret Lynch writes emotional letter to her great-grandson

Letters From Lockdown: Dear Daniel is a new short film from RTÉ that shows 100-year-old Margaret Lynch writing an emotional letter to her newest great-grandchild


Margaret Lynch found herself in the limelight a few weeks ago after a memorable appearance on RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline.

The Dubliner who turned 100 in April, charmed the nation with her positive spirit and uplifting words. Now she’s back under the spotlight in an RTÉ short film called Letters From Lockdown: Dear Daniel.

Letters From Lockdown is a series of short films by RTÉ that each features a letter from one person to another. RTÉ said the films are, “a reflection on an aspect of the situation we all find ourselves in, whether it is separation from loved ones, concerns about mental health, the breakdown of the rituals we hold so dear”

In Dear Daniel, 100-year-old Margaret writes a letter to her great-grandson Daniel who was born during the lockdown and is 100 years and one day younger than her. She is currently cocooning so she is yet to cuddle her newest great-grandchild but she took the opportunity to write to Daniel about her life, lockdown, and him.

The short film was directed and edited by Kenny Mac Giolla Phádraig and produced by Shauna McGreevy and Sally Roden. It’s a beautiful feat of storytelling and confirms what we already knew; Margaret is a gem.

She was born in April 1920 during the War of Independence and lived through World War II. At the end of the war she married her husband Michael at the age of 25. They went on to have 6 children and now Margaret has 19 children and 29 great-grandchildren.

She writes in her letter: “Daniel, please god when all this virus has passed over, you are going to grow up in a wonderful world with no pandemics and you will be able to run around freely and play with other children like I did.”

“I’ve had a great life Daniel, a long life. It hasn’t always been easy, but you have to take the bad with the good. You have to move on from tragedy. Life has to go on. When I am asked what I owe my long healthy life to, I tell them to eat porridge and make cocoa every night.”

“Please god I will live long enough to have a little chat with you and all my great-grandchildren who are now in isolation.”

We dare you not to cry while watching this.


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