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NI 100: Fermanagh woman celebrates her own centenary

Pauline Brown from Newtownbutler in County Fermanagh was born on 27 September 1921

For people the same age as Northern Ireland, 1921 is a year which will never be forgotten.

Pauline Brown from Newtownbutler in County Fermanagh was born on 27 September 1921, and grew up close to the newly-created Irish border.

Now 100, she said she had enjoyed a "quiet life" and avoided involvement in politics.

Northern Ireland was established in May 1921 after the partition of the island of Ireland.

Pauline going to her first Holy Communion
Pauline's father worked as a border customs officer after partition

Pauline's father had been a police officer in the all-island Royal Irish Constabulary but after partition, two separate forces were subsequently created and he embarked on a different career.

He became a border customs officer.

"People did not know what way things would go. It was a troubled time, and with a family and all, he thought he'd be better out [of the police]," Pauline remembers.

When she went to school, she used chalk and slate. She recalls 20-mile round trips on her bicycle to see friends in Enniskillen, and across the border in County Cavan.

Pauline on her wedding day
Pauline and her husband Philip Brown on their wedding day

She married a farmer, Philip Brown, when she was 30.

"I always was a quiet person, I was a farmer's wife out in the country," she said.

She did not smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or wear makeup.

She said: "One time, there was chap who was a bit fond of me and he gave me a present of lipstick. I said: 'Why did you give the lipstick?' He said: 'Because I'll get it all back!'"

Pauline Brown
At 100 years old, Pauline says she feels "on top of the world"

Pauline recently moved into the Colorado private nursing home near Lisnaskea, but is still very active and recently purchased a smart speaker to play music.

"I still feel on the top of the world," she said.

"Take care of yourself, love yourself, because if you don't love yourself, you don't love anybody else."

She recently took part in a centenarian project run by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, which is chronicling the memories of people aged 100 or over who grew up in the area.

NI 100

The BBC News NI website has a dedicated section marking the 100th anniversary of the creation of Northern Ireland and partition of the island.

There are special reports on the major figures of the time and the events that shaped modern Ireland available at bbc.co.uk/ni100.

Year '21: You can also explore how Northern Ireland was created a hundred years ago in the company of Tara Mills and Declan Harvey.

Listen to the latest Year '21 podcast on BBC Sounds or catch-up on previous episodes.

NI 100