Tributes to horseman Leslie
IT was with great sadness that the equine community learned of the passing of Leslie Conboy of Taunagh, Riverstown Co Sligo.
Leslie was the Vice Chairman of the Irish Draught Horse Society Sligo Branch, a position he held up until his death on the 27th of August 2016.
The large attendance at his removal was a testament to the much loved character that was Leslie Conboy.
A guard of honour which lined the avenue from the church gate to the door, stood in respectful silence as the cortège arrived at Aghanagh Church of Ireland parish Church. The Guard of Honour comprised of Irish Draught Horse Society members from the Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon branches as well as members of the Irish Draught Horse Society National Council.
On the following day Leslie was laid to rest in the adjoining graveyard, again a very large crowd of mourners were in attendance. There was a Guard of Honour comprising of the farming community and friends of Leslie’s, who all gathered to pay their final farewell as they stood in line between the Church Door and the grave where Canon Ronnie Bourke officiated.
Leslie was a man of many facets, a father, a grandfather and a great grandfather. He had many good friends from far and near and was well liked and respected by his neighbours.
Leslie was a farmer, stockman, horse breeder and producer with a keen eye for a horse.
Grass Valley, Riverstown Express and Boscy, to name but a few, all passed through his hands.
Leslie was an auctioneer of high reputation. He started dealing at the age of 14. He would say with a laugh, his first foray into dealing was not a success. He saved up all his pennies and went to a fair where he bought a small calf giving the owner all that he had in his pocket.
After bringing the calf home and feeding him up for nearly two years, he declared that in the time he kept him all that grew was the calf’s head.
When he took him back to the fair again after all the time, feeding and work he had put into him, he got less money for him than he had bought him for. He said to his father’s credit he never admonished him for this mistake, or tried to knock his confidence.
Leslie learned the hard way and came up in the school of hard knocks in life. He was a self made man and I suppose it is fair to say we will never see his likes again. I overheard someone say on the day of his funeral that in his time he fixed more disputes than a District Court Judge.
For example cows that were not in calf that should have been, heifers in calf that should not have been, he had the gift to mediate and get irate parties to calm down and fix things amicably.
The large attendance and cross section of the community at his funeral was proof of the high esteem and respect that he was held in by all.
He will be missed by his children, Brian, Ian, Lynda, Freda, Jill, Paul and Wesley, Sons in Law, Daughters in Law, Grand children, Great Grandchildren, relatives and his many neighbours and friends.
By E. Deane.