Sisters believed to be Australia’s oldest living triplets turn 90
The Melbourne sisters thought to be the oldest living triplets in Australia celebrated their 90th birthday on Saturday.
Helen, Judy and Barbara Houlihan were born ten weeks premature on November 23, 1929. The triplets said their parents, Ivy and Tom Houlihan, had been expecting to have twins and were “shocked” to have three babies.
At the time of their birth, the family already had two young girls aged four years old and 18 months old respectively.
“We’ve had a wonderful life, we really have,” Helen said.
“We giggled our way through everything,” Barbara added.
The sisters became known as the Houlihan triplets, a moniker that stuck even after they got married – Helen to John Smith, Barbara to Bill Dodd and Judy to Peter Beech.
Judy’s daughter Gillian Beech said her mother and aunts still play golf and bridge together. “They don’t get out on the course now as much as they would like to but spend a lot of there time there doing lunches and playing bridge with their friends,” Beech said.
“They love a punt on the horses and love their daily VB.”
The three of them now have 35 offspring between them, including children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Records for age are self-reported. Other records show that 79-year-old Florence, Dorothy and Betsy Audino are thought to be Australia’s oldest living identical triplets.