Sliabh Luachra triplets recall their dancehall days on 65th birthday
TRIPLETS from Sliabh Luachra have spoken about their experiences in local dancehalls in their younger days as they celebrated their 65th birthday last week.
In an interview with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’s ‘Saol Ó Dheas’, Willy, Tim and Jimmy Walsh from Ballydesmond were born on May 19, 1955, in Cork’s Erinville Hospital.
When they were born, two of them, Willy and Tim, were just two and a half pounds weight or so, but Jimmy was a whopping 5lb 10 oz, the biggest triplet in Europe at the time!
“We were very handsome, although we were small!” said Tim, “we were very alike, and we still are... and we’re very close, we’ve a great relationship.”
Jimmy explained some of the tricks that Tim and Willy got up to. “They had great fun in the dancehalls. Tim might be dancing with a lovely girl, and he’d head off to the loo, and then Willy would step in and the girl would be none the wiser.”
The family ran a pub, and there were four other siblings, and the children used to work serving behind the counter. Tim said that although they were competitive, it never came between them.
“If anything ever happened in the family, or in the parish, we always stood together. Although we were competitive, we were good at talking things out and expressing ourselves .... there was always a great friendship. If you start fighting with one, you’re fighting with all three!”
They were skilled on the pitch too, and had a keen understanding of one another, particularly Willy and Tim, as Jimmy described:
“Willy and Tim, when they’d be playing, they were on the same wavelength, and Willy would know without looking, where Tim was, and pass to him ... they were telepathic.”
All three became teachers. Willy is based in Burren in Co. Cork, Tim is in Drumcondra in Dublin, and Jimmy is in Ashbourne in Co. Meath. Jimmy has retired, but the other two remain in their roles as school principals.
They’re extremely grateful for the lives they’ve led and for each other’s company as well as the support of their other siblings.
“We’ve had a great life ... good health, a great relationship between us, we can rely on each other . We were very lucky too with Seán, Diarmuid, Bríd and Dan ...
“We were always centre stage, and we got that recognition.
“They were very patient and always gave us help, especially the older two. They knew there was something special there, and they accepted it, but I’d say it must have been difficult for them sometimes, hard on the family and whoever was with us.”
Now the triplets are looking forward to celebrating their milestone together.