Maryette McFarland from Londonderry became the oldest of more than 300 graduates at the Open University’s ceremony in Belfast on Tuesday, finally earning her English Literature degree at age 90 after a 70-year journey that began in Dublin back in the 1960s. The great-grandmother had originally started her studies at Trinity Dublin but dropped out when love intervened, choosing to get married instead and later raising four children while her degree remained an unfinished dream she never stopped regretting. After recovering from a car accident years later, McFarland decided she had a bit of time to spare and wanted to do something meaningful, so she enrolled with the Open University to finally complete what she started seven decades earlier. Despite admitting she’s “very bad online,” McFarland received wonderful support from her family including four children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, with her daughter-in-law even teaching her how to type so she could manage the online coursework.
Her eldest daughter Shauna Gailey accompanied her mother to the graduation ceremony and said she’s incredibly proud, describing how McFarland used to sit on her sofa surrounded by piles of books with her laptop and tablet in front of her, throwing herself fully into her studies. The entire family came to Belfast for a big family lunch before watching Maryette walk across the stage, celebrating not just a degree but a testament to determination and patience that spanned most of her lifetime. McFarland’s lovely tutor provided tremendous support throughout her journey, helping her navigate the challenges of studying in a digital age when technology wasn’t her strongest skill. Her message to anyone who thinks they’re too old to learn new things is simple and powerful: if she can do it, anybody can do it, because it’s never too late to achieve your dreams no matter how much time has passed.
