A grandmother from Londonderry who only recently learned to type on a computer has today celebrated her graduation at the age of 90 — almost 70 years after she dropped out of her original course.
Maryette McFarland has graduated from the Open University with a degree in English literature; she first studied the course in Dublin in the 1950s.
“Many years ago I was at Trinity [College Dublin] doing English literature and I dropped out to get married, when I was 21, and then I had a family,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.
“I always thought I would like to study something. And then after my husband died, I had a bit more time — because I had been looking after him — so then I joined the Open University.”
The Open University offers flexible full-time and part-time study, supported distance and open learning for undergraduate and postgraduate courses and qualifications.
Accompanied by her daughter Shauna, Maryette made the journey from Derry to the Waterfront Hall in Belfast today to join more than 300 other graduates celebrating their achievements.
Maryette paid tribute to the support her family offered her throughout her degree: “They were wonderful. They were absolutely amazing. They couldn’t have been better. They couldn’t have been more supportive.”
Of course, a lot has changed in the education system since Maryette was a student, and she explained how she needed the help of her loved ones to show her how to use a computer to access her course.
“My grandchildren copied things out for me and they told me what to do. I think they think it’s quite funny, a granny doing a degree,” Maryette said.
“I couldn’t type — so my daughter-in-law taught me to type. The whole [concept of] being online and not having one-to-one contact, I think that was the tricky bit. But I suppose you get used to it.
“All the others who were on my course, they all had jobs and they had children. I felt as if it was easier for me.
“We had these lectures or tutorials sitting at home and you would hear children in the background saying: ‘Mummy.’
“I thought: ‘I’m the lucky one really: I haven't got anyone to look after.’”
Asked what she thought her 21-year-old self would think about graduating at 90, she replied: “Me at 21 years old? I don’t know what she would have thought… she would have died of fright.”
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.
Maryette wants to encourage anyone who might be interested in returning to education to do so.
“I would say go for it — really, really go for it,” she said.
“I mean, if I can do it, anyone can do it. If you have the interest and you like doing it, then there is nothing to stop you.”
Also among this year’s graduates is Matthew McCarthy (31), from Holywood, Co Down, with a BSc (Hons) in psychology.
He said it was the realisation of a dream after previously dropping out, explaining that it was part of a tumultuous journey during which he met his fiancée, changed jobs to work in mental health, moved house twice, lost close family members and lost 20kg in weight.
“It took a lot of faith in what I was doing, but the leap paid off,” he said.
Matthew now works as a mental health project worker.
He has also begun a postgraduate certificate and hopes to one day complete a doctorate in clinical psychology.
“The flexibility the Open University provides, as I work full-time, is great,” he said.
“I did research when considering going back into academia. It also appeared on the British Psychological Society accredited course list.
“My main support came from my fiancée, who I am marrying in August 2026. I met her at the very beginning of my studies, and she was incredible throughout the entire time.
“If I wasn’t training in jiu-jitsu, at the gym or at work, I was studying and writing.”
Meanwhile, Jim Mulholland (84), a retired teacher from Lisburn who was among the pioneering class of 1975, said he was delighted to celebrate with the latest graduates.
He had been in his 30s, working as a PE teacher, and felt like he was “in a rut” when he decided to begin an Open University degree in social sciences.
Mr Mulholland graduated with first-class honours and went on to work in management, which he said had been helped by his Open University degree.
He was promoted and later accepted for a Fulbright teaching exchange to Portland, Oregon, US — an adventure that remains one of his proudest achievements.
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1 comment
I’ll be chuffed enough to make it to 90, nevermind having enough of my marbles left to complete a university course. Congratulations to Maryette for achieving this impressive feat.
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