Doreen Thew, a 92-year-old nursing home resident from Maynooth, Co Kildare, is this year’s overall winner of the 2017 open eir Silver Surfer Awards.

A Snapchat-loving granny has been named Ireland’s most tech savvy pensioner after winning eir’s Silver Surfer Award.

Doreen Thew (92) moved to Ireland from London two years ago to be closer to her son Peter, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren after the death of her husband. The iPad loving granny made sure, however, that her nursing home had an adequate Wifi system in place before her arrival.

The pensioner regularly Facetimes with her friends and family in the UK and keeps up to date with her grandchildren on Snapchat.

Doreen, who lives in TLC Nursing Home in Maynooth, also loves a bit of online shopping and said Google is really handy to help identify the types of birds that find the way into her garden.

Speaking of the awards, held this afternoon in eir HQ, Eamon Timmins, CEO of Age Action Ireland said 92-year-old Doreen is an inspiration.

“Doreen is an amazing woman, inspiring all of us to know that age is no barrier to taking advantage of the thrilling opportunities presented by the internet and new technology. The majority of older people in Ireland have never been online. We hope Doreen and all of our Silver Surfers encourage anyone with a computer sitting unused in the kitchen, or a tablet still in its wrapping paper, to get online and open up new worlds of information and entertainment”.

Expand Close The pensioner regularly Facetimes with her friends and family in the UK and keeps up to date with her grandchildren on Snapchat. / Facebook

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Whatsapp The pensioner regularly Facetimes with her friends and family in the UK and keeps up to date with her grandchildren on Snapchat.

Speaking of the award, which was presented by TV presenter Baz Ashmawy and his mum Nancy, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Helen McEntee said the internet can open up new opportunities for elderly people in Ireland.

“Going online can have enormous benefits for older people and I would encourage everyone to embrace technology. If we do it can open up a whole new world of opportunity, helping to reduce social isolation, allowing us to develop and pursue new hobbies and interests, as well as making new friends,” she said.

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