The Slevin Boys

Willie, Tim, PJ, Paul, Jim and Sean

Jim, Seán, Willie, PJ and Tim in 1984

Jim, the oldest boy, went to work “as soon as he was old enough to hold a pitchfork”. He worked on the home farm as well as at Flannery's. After he left home he was “great for coming to ramble on a Sunday”. At 32, he married Julia Fahy and moved to her home place and farm at Rodeen, near Borrisokane. It was believed that Uncle Jim, John’s brother, was instrumental in bringing the couple together. 

Jim and Julia on their wedding day, 9th June 1948

For the first few years, Seán worked near home milking the large herd of cows owned by the Watson estate. He worked with Uncle Pack threshing, later moving to Limerick and then on to Colemanswell Creamery in Cork.

Willie and PJ continued to live with their mother at Kilregane until the 1970s. Willie inherited the farm, and PJ moved to his own house in Carrigahorig. PJ was a well-known figure as he went around the country on his Honda 50. He worked for many years as a lorry driver for Flynns of Carrigahorig. He didn’t marry and lived quietly, keeping up the old tradition of living off the land. He had a fine cottage garden and grew apples, gooseberries and other fruit and vegetables. He also continued to hunt and there was usually a snipe or a rabbit around the house being readied for eating. Through all the years, he kept up his small kindnesses to Mam, whether it was leaving her a mug of tea by her bed in the morning, or bringing her back 'the salty bit' of bacon that she loved.

As one of the youngest in the family, Tim was particularly close to his mother and father. After leaving school, he stayed in the area working at home and then worked for his brother Jim for a couple of years.

In 1950, the ESB’s Rural Electrification Scheme arrived to bring electricity to the area. The 21-year-old Tim took short-term work with the crew. After a few months, he moved from Lorrha to Cork, up to Donegal, through Mayo and finally Leitrim where he settled with Tina, whom he had met during his time in Charlestown, Co. Mayo.

As he travelled the country with the ESB, Tim frequently sent money home to Mam, and on more than a few occasions, gave his father money for a few pints. In the mid-50s, Tim considered joining the Garda Síochána and his application was successful. The move was encouraged by his uncle Michael, his father’s eldest brother, who had been an RIC officer. But Mam was less supportive, questioning why he would want to join “that auld bad crowd”.

Tim went on to have a 34-year career with the ESB and his unique photos of the time are available on ESBArchives.ie. His reflection on his time there, and especially his attempt to bring hurling to Leitrim is recounted by Seán Mac Fearghail’s in ‘Then There Was Light[i], a collection of stories of rural electrification. Tim and a few of his colleagues, especially Barry Ormond from Co. Waterford, carried their love of hurling to Mayo and Leitrim. Their skills and determination gave hurling in Mayo and Leitrim an enormous boost and they lifted their club and county teams to win a number of Senior Hurling medals. In 1996, Tim was featured in the print advertisement celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the rural electrification scheme.

Tim settled with Tina in Mohill, Co Leitrim and still supports Tipperary hurling. His vegetable garden and precise drills of potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions and peas were admired by many and remain as testimony to his love of the land and perhaps his father’s ploughing skills.

Tim spent time in Mayo and settled in Leitrim, where he helped build the county hurling teams.  Here he is defending in his usual full-back position.

The youngest, Paul may have considered joining the priesthood and went to school at the Salesians in Limerick, but returned to Lorrha after a year. He hurled with the Lorrha senior team from 1955 to 1961 alongside the renowned Tony Reddan. Paul was considered a great full-back, holding his own against much bigger men like Philly Ryan of Borrisoleigh. Even after moving to New York, he continued to play with one of his team-mates, Seán O’Meara. In New York, Paul lived in the Bronx and, helped by his GAA connections, got a job as a bus driver. He married Eileen Heffernan there in 1964, and in 1969, they made the decision to return home. 

By mid-1969,  he had secured a job and was enjoying reigniting old friendships during a visit home. In June, he was travelling with friends to the Munster semi-final when the car crashed near Cahir. Tragically, he died from his injuries a few short weeks later, leaving his young wife and two young daughters. Kitty recalls much discussion about who would break the news of Paul's death to Mam: Ned Flynn, their very good neighbour, stepped in and took on the enormously difficult task of telling Mam her beloved son was gone.

Paul Slevin

Read the other chapters in this blog for more:
Introduction & Life on the Farm
The Slevin Girls
The Nuns
Key Dates for the Slevin Family
Acknowledgements

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[i] Then There Was Light – Stories behind the installation of Ireland’s Rural Electrification scheme. Co-edited by PJ Cunningham and Dr. Joe Kearney (Ballpoint Press 2016)