Five female generations of a Derry family have met for the first time.

There are 88 years between Maureen Breene and her great-great-granddaughter Cahlá McCrory, who is just two weeks old.

They were joined by Maureen’s daughter Marion McGeehan, her daughter Tracey McCrory and her daughter Jamie McCrory.

“It’s the first time we have all been together so it is very special,” said Mrs McGeehan.

Mrs Breene had 13 children with her husband, well known singer Paddy Breene, who they raised in Cable Street.

“My mother wouldn’t have had all the gadgets that we take for granted today,” recalled Mrs McGeehan.

“She would have had a big scrubbing board to do the washing.

“She didn’t get a washing machine until a few of us were old enough to be out working and we bought her one.

“I remember the wee range cooker she had and she would make a soup or stew and she’d always have to dish it out twice because there were so many of us.”

Mrs Breene’s wisdom on child rearing has been passed down through the generations.

“There are things she would have said to me that I’ve said to my daughter and she’s said to her daughter,” said Mrs McGeehan.

“Sometimes one of us will say ‘I’m talking like my mammy’ and the rest of us will say ‘which one?’.

Mrs McGeehan is enjoying the experience of being a young great granny.

“I had my daughter at 20, she had her daughter at 20 and now her daughter has had a daughter at 20.

“It’s been brilliant because my daughter Tracey grew up when I was young so we are nearly like sisters and her daughter Jamie grew up when she was young so they are nearly like sisters too.

“I was the third child in my family so I was like a mammy to the younger ones.

“I’ve always been around babies.

“I tell the young ones what I know and they tell me all the modern stuff.”

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