Eileen Macken, 82, was raised in an orphanage in Dublin. For years, she searched for her mother everywhere.
Only recently did she finally find her. Macken found her 104-year-old mother was still alive and living in Scotland.
The only reason she was able to find her mom was because she went public with her search. Eileen appeared on the popular Irish radio show “RTE Liveline” and begged listeners to help her identify her mother.
Of course, she assumed that her mother would have passed by now. When a listener who was also a genealogist helped her take the necessary steps to find her mother, she happily realized that the woman was alive and well.
Last April, Eileen and her husband George (along with their daughter and son-in-law) traveled to Scotland to meet Eileen’s mother for the first time in her life. Some concerns were raised about Macklen traveling like this at her age, but she would not hear of it.
“I heard she was alive at 103 and nothing would stop me trying to go and see her,” she said.
A man greeted Eileen and her family at the door and then led them into the Scotland home after Eileen explained their purpose for coming.
She found her mother reading a newspaper in her living room. She told the 104-year-old that she was from Ireland, and her mother immediately connected the dots.
When they were reunited, Eileen’s mother grasped her hand and did not let go. They bonded and spent 3 full days together in Scotland before Eileen and her family had to leave.
On May 9th of the same year, Eileen went back on Joe Duffy’s ‘Liveline’ to update him and his listeners on her reunion with her newfound mother.
Even better, she explained that her family only keeps growing, as her mother told her she also has two half-brothers!
How wonderful that she never gave up her quest, and was finally reunited with her Mom. God bless them both!
