Five generations of one Cork family: Una welcomes first great-great-grandchild 

To say that Una Costello has a big family is something of an understatement.

Born in Adare in 1925, the centenarian moved to Cork with her late husband Dan 79 years ago, raising her 11 children in what was then very rural Carrigaline.

Now, 30 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren later, Una is the head of a five-generation family, having welcomed her first great-great-grandchild, Sonny, in January of this year.

“Imagine looking around at a room full of people that you love, and saying, ‘they’re all here because I created it’. Imagine being able to say that,” says Stephanie Bermingham, Sonny’s mum, and Una’s eldest great-grandchild.

Stephanie and her family are reminiscing about Una’s - or, as they know her, Nan’s - 100th birthday party held at the Carrigaline Court Hotel last July.

“It was a big one, when Nan turned 100,” says Reann Lane - another great-grandchild and Stephanie’s younger sister. “Because there are cousins and stuff that we don’t see all the time, so it was lovely to have us all in one place.

“We don’t often get together, but this was one time where we did all get together, we got dressed up, and it was a big deal.”

Welcoming the fifth generation of the family with Sonny’s arrival this year has been another great cause of celebration.

In an amusing twist of fate, Sonny - Una’s first great-great-grandchild - is the son of her first great-grandchild, Stephanie, and Stephanie’s dad, Stephen Lane, was her first grandchild.

Stephen’s mother, Carmel Lane, was born in Carrigaline, a very different place to the bustling commuter town it is now.

“There was only one shop. Barry Collins, it was small then - a small shop. That was all. It’s all so built up now,” says Carmel.

“We would go over the fields playing every day,” adds Carmel’s sister Mary.

“Yes, down the woods - Currabinny Woods”, agrees Carmel. “We lived down there!”

Carmel and her siblings would go fruit-picking, and the family - like most people in those days - were very self-sufficient, with Una growing potatoes, harvesting honey, making jam and butter, baking bread, cooking three meals a day, and overseeing with husband Dan what Stephanie describes as a “magical garden”.

“Dad had everything together,” remembers Carmel. Stephanie and Reann have very fond memories of spending time with their great-grandfather, who passed away in 2013.

“I remember from my childhood,” says Stephanie, “we’d go into the shed outside and he’d put us up on a little stool and we’d stir the jam. He used to make jam with us.”

Carmel met her husband Gerald Lane at the pictures in Carrigaline. Known as Cogan’s Cinema, the old picture-house is long gone, with a gym now standing in its place.

Despite a tiny population in those days, there was a lively social scene for young people in the small village.

“Those were the best days compared to now,” says Mary, with Carmel and Gerald nodding in agreement.

Even when the next generation came along in the 1970s and early ’80s, Carrigaline was still very rural.

“We’d lie down outside on the road with our ears to the ground listening out for cars,” recalls Stephen.

His sister Denise also remembers those days, adding: “We’d build sandcastles on the road and cars wouldn’t knock them down for a week.”

Looking out at the road now, busy with trucks, buses and other traffic, it’s safe to say that a sandcastle wouldn’t last 30 seconds. Times have changed.

Even Stephanie, born in the 1990s, had a very different childhood to the one she anticipates for her baby son.

“You’d make forts in the fields,” she says. “You’d create games, it was just really, really nice back then. I think it was just more peaceful. The sense of community was fantastic, you were friends with all your neighbours.”

“People would just call to each other’s doors,” agrees Reann.

“I think a little bit of that has changed nowadays,” Stephanie continues.

Regardless of how life in Carrigaline and its surrounding towns - Stephanie and her young family now live in Crosshaven - has changed, one thing about Sonny’s future that’s assured is that he will grow up surrounded by loving family.

“Growing up in a multi-generational family (like Sonny will) taught me a lot,” considers Stephanie, “because I always had people around me. I aways had all the laughter.”

Una loves children and is immensely proud of all the kids in her family. She famously never forgets a birthday! Becoming a great-great-grandmother has been a really special milestone.

“After I had Sonny,” says Stephanie, “when I walked into the house, Nan was the first person I went to with him because I knew she wanted to cuddle him.

“It was really very emotional to be able to say I’m the first great-grandchild, and he’s the first great-great-grandchild. I think that’s something that I will always be very, very proud of.”

Stephanie looks forward to explaining the significance of Sonny’s place in the family to him when he’s older. “Watching Nan and everybody get older now, I’ll be able to say to Sonny when he’s growing up, when he starts to understand and I can show him pictures, ‘that was you, the first great-great-grandchild’.

“It’s a really lovely, proud thing to be able to say.

“Having all these generations teaches you closeness with family and how to appreciate your loved ones even more when they’re around.”

At nearly 101 years of age, Una has passed down plenty of wisdom to her many family members through the years.

Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - all gathered close to her as they have been for their whole lives - agree on one thing that sticks out to them: Una has taught them kindness.

“She’s always said, ‘it doesn’t cost a thing to be kind’,” says Mary. Everyone agrees. “That’s been passed down to everyone in this room”, adds Stephanie.

It’s a message that will also be passed down to baby Sonny, who, like the generations before him, will always have family around for guidance and support.

“That’s one thing about our family,” reflects Stephanie. “We would do absolutely anything for each other, because we love each other.”

And as the five generations of family - from eight weeks to 100 years old - relax around the room in each other’s company, it’s clear to see she’s right.