Londonderry: 90-year-old woman graduates from university

Authored by bbc.co.uk and submitted by whatatwit

Ms McFarland had originally started university in Dublin back in the 1960s, but love intervened before she finished her degree.

She said she dropped out of her course and got married instead.

Although it took a few years, she decided to study again with the Open University while recovering from a car accident.

"I had a bit of time to spare and I thought I'd like to do something," Ms McFarland told BBC News NI.

Studying online had proved a challenge at times. However, she said her family - including her four children, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren - had been "wonderful".

"I'm very bad online but I had a lot of help from the family," she said, adding that her daughter-in-law taught her how to type.

"I know they're there if I want them and they help me in every way they can.

"But, you know, I think they think for granny to have a degree, it's a bit odd!"

Ms McFarland also said she had a "lovely" tutor who provided "a lot of support".

WRXminion on October 17th, 2025 at 15:27 UTC »

This is freaking amazing. But also sucks that I know people with English lit PHD who are in their late 20s-30s and can't find a job. How is this lady getting job offers?

160295 on October 17th, 2025 at 12:47 UTC »

What a legend!!

whatatwit on October 17th, 2025 at 12:24 UTC »

Great-grandmother graduates from university at 90 years old

Seventy years after starting her studies, Maryette McFarland from Londonderry was finally able to graduate from university with a degree in English Literature.

"I can hardly believe it, and it's taken me quite a long time," she said.

The 90 year old was the oldest of more than 300 graduates at the Open University's ceremony in Belfast on Tuesday.

And her story is one of determination, patience and a little help from friends, tutors and family.

'I had a bit of time to spare'

Ms McFarland had originally started university in Dublin back in the 1960s, but love intervened before she finished her degree.

She said she dropped out of her course and got married instead.

Although it took a few years, she decided to study again with the Open University while recovering from a car accident.

"I had a bit of time to spare and I thought I'd like to do something," Ms McFarland told BBC News NI.

[…]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx24kkxgwxlo

I'm getting career offers, they haven't twigged how old I am. NI grandmother, 90, celebrates graduation

[…]

For most people, of course, the prospect of graduating naturally leads to thoughts of a vocation or a career, but Maryette said she “might not do anything” with her degree at this stage of life and joked that she has even received some job offers.

“It’s quite funny — it’s automatic I think — but I’m getting these career offers. They haven’t sort of twigged how old I am,” she quipped.

[…]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/im-getting-career-offers-they-havent-twigged-how-old-i-am-ni-grandmother-90-celebrates-graduation/a752149536.html

Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin (Irish: Coláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath), officially branded by the board as Trinity College, the University of Dublin, and by decree as The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, is the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592 through a royal charter, it is one of the extant seven ancient universities of Great Britain and Ireland. As Ireland's oldest university in continuous operation, Trinity contributed to Irish literature during the Victorian and Georgian eras and played a notable role in the recognition of Dublin as a UNESCO City of Literature.

[…]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College_Dublin