| Mathew Crowley | |
 Crowley on his 108th birthday in 2022 | |
| Birth: | 12 May 1914 Askeaton, County Limerick, Ireland |
| Death: | 26 August 2022 Summerfield, County Cork, Ireland |
| Age: | 108 years, 106 days |
| Country: |  IRL
|
| Centenarian | |
Mat(t)hew Crowley (12 May 1914 – 26 August 2022) was an Irish centenarian who was the oldest known living person in Ireland at the time of his death.
Early Life[]
Mathew Crowley was born in Askeaton, County Limerick, Ireland on 12 May 1914 to lighthouse keeper James "Jimmie" Crowley and Millicent "Millie" (née Colfer) Crowley. He had six siblings. He was married to Matilda Crowley. They had a daughter named Colleen. Crowley would later end up outliving both his wife and his daughter.
World War II[]
During World War II, Crowley worked as a lighthouse keeper and an aircraft inspector. He was recruited from the Ford Motor Company in Cork City, to the Ford Motor Company in Dagenham, Essex, England, UK. With the advent of World War II, the Ford Motor Company changed over from automobile engines to aircraft engines, and Crowley was subsequently designated as an “essential worker” for the British war effort. He also worked on the Hawker Hurricane, a fighter aircraft, which became very important for the Royal Air Force while they fought with the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.
For a time, Crowley worked at the Hawker factory in London before he eventually worked for the Gloster Aircraft Company in Gloucestershire, where he narrowly escaped a bombing raid from a Messerschmitt aircraft. He had been working at the factory at the time of the bombing. Many of his female colleagues, who were about to leave the factory at the time the bombing took place, were killed during the attack.
Later Life[]
Following World War II, Crowley and his wife Matilda retired as lighthouse keepers. After their retirement, they moved to Youghal, County Cork in 1986, following the introduction of automated lighthouses in Ireland. Matilda died at the age of 62.
Crowley still remained active in his later years. Many of his friends often referred to him as "Lord Summerfield", when he was telling stories about his life, as well as out of respect for him. He also often referred to himself as "the quiet man", as he was very personal about his life, he liked to keep secrets, and he was also a very peaceful and laid-back person.
Ahead of his 107th birthday in 2021 and his 108th birthday in 2022, Crowley received a letter and a silver medal from President Michael D. Higgins.
Following the death of Michael O'Connor on 21 August 2022, Crowley became the oldest known living person in Ireland.
Death and Longevity Records[]
Mathew Crowley died from natural causes at a hospital in Summerfield, County Cork, Ireland on 26 August 2022 at the age of 108 years, 106 days, just five days after becoming the oldest known living person in Ireland. He was also the last known surviving Irish man born before 1916. Following his death, Mairin Hughes became the oldest known living person in Ireland, and Martin McEvilly became the oldest known living man in Ireland.
Crowley was survived by his three eldest children (Patricia Wayman and Barrie Crowley (both of whom currently live in Gloucestershire, England, UK), and Dr. Leo M. Crowley (who currently works as a consultant physician in Dallas, Texas, USA)), four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. His funeral was held on 27 August 2022, the day after he died. He was laid to rest alongside his wife Matilda.
Crowley is currently the third-oldest known man ever recorded in Ireland (after Michael O'Connor and Luke Dolan), and the fifth-oldest known Irish-born man ever (after James Hanlon, Montague Little, O'Connor, and Dolan).
Gallery[]
References[]
- Mathew Crowley 104th Happy Birthday!!!! Irish-American Society of Dallas, 30 April 2018
- Matthew Crowley, Centenarian Crowley Clan, 27 May 2018
- Matthew Crowley, Black & Tans and life at Loop Head Lighthouse Crowley Clan, 15 September 2020
- 106 year old Mathew Crowley sends his regards for a "Happy St. Patricks Day” Facebook Post, 17 March 2021
- 107th and 108th birthday confirmations Crowley Clan, 9 May 2021
- Matthew, 107, congratulated by President Higgins The Clare Champion, 7 May 2022
- Clare links for one of Ireland’s oldest citizens The Clare Champion, 1 September 2022
- Ireland’s oldest man dies aged 108 after long life as lighthouse keeper and aircraft inspector in WWII The Irish Sun, 2 September 2022
- Ireland's oldest man, 108-year-old WWII hero, passes away in Cork IrishCentral, 3 September 2022
| Ireland's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Elizabeth Munson • Katie Duggan • Thomas Keaveney • Patrick Ward • Kate Taheny • Peter Harte • Catherine Fitzmaurice • Bernardine O'Malley • Maryann Henthorne • Mamie Geraghty • Agnes O'Brien • Margaret Cranny • Mary Ellen Geaney • Annie Murphy • Carthage Bohan • Catherine Stapleton • Mary Murray • Mary O'Neill • John Ryan • Margaret Dolan • Eileen Richardson • Annie Callan • Bridget Conroy • Margaret Conway • Olivia Breen • Statia Kealy • Mary Kate Byrne • Margaret O'Connell • Molly Madden • Nora Canavan • Sarah Clancy • Elizabeth Gallagher • Margaret Boland • Dorothea Findlater • Elizabeth Dempsey • Mary Coyne • Alice Kelly • Kitty Byrne • Peg O'Sullivan • Michael O'Connor • Mathew Crowley • Mairin Hughes • Kitty Jeffery • Phyllis Furness |
| Ireland's Oldest Living Man Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Jeremiah McCarthy • Unknown • Patrick Berry • John Joe Cleary • Thomas Keaveney • Patrick Ward • Peter Harte • Unknown • Frank Peard • Patrick O'Flaherty • John O'Leary • James Gavin • Carthage Bohan • John Ryan • Tobias Burke • Tom Barry • Leo Billings • Patrick Greene • Dan Keating • Maiben Roberts • Paddy Gleeson • Michael Fitzsimons • Luke Dolan • Michael Lambert • John O'Brien • Unidentified • Vincent Gavin • Michael O'Connor • Mathew Crowley • Martin McEvilly• Joe Veselsky |