Violet, 88, remembered
CLOONACOOL native Violet Roycroft died in Letterkenny University Hospital on 11 th August aged 88 years.
Violet was second daughter to Edward and Frances Martin, Wellmount, Cloonacool.
She went to Castlerock National School and later went to Tubbercurry National School.
During the summer holidays, Violet her sister Murial and brother Leslie cycled to their ancestors home and visited their cousins in the Coolaney area.
She recorded and reminisced many stories of their childhood games and fun they all had together.
Violet worked on the family farm in Wellmount and helped with the daily chores there.
In 1963 she married Bertie Roycroft and moved to Tunnagh, Sooey, where she continued her love for farming and animals.
Indeed wherever Bertie was Violet was not too far away from his side.
The family moved to Ballynakill in 1966. She helped milk cows, rear calves, lambs and pigs.
Violet started hatching chickens and selling them locally and carried on doing this for many years where she was well known in the area.
She was a loyal parishioner to Ballysumaghan Church where she attended on a regular basis.
Violet was a great baker and could turn out soda bread with her eyes closed.
She could bake Christmas cakes and think noth- ing of it, these cakes were ab- solutely beautiful and were well preserved with a little whiskey or in Violet’s case plenty of whiskey.
She enjoyed gardening and had a great love for flowers especially roses and dahlias.
She always had these flowers in the garden. Violet loved the land and all the chores it brought with it.
She was in the element when she was rearing calves and would take pride when she helped a sick calf recover.
Violet continued feeding calves until ill health prevented her from doing so.
She was a regular visitor to Sligo town where she did her shopping and any business she needed to attend to.
She always moved swiftly through the streets of Sligo.
Violet loved her independence as she could drive wherever she wanted to go.
She was always someone who never wanted to trouble anyone but she herself would do anything for anyone.
For the latter days of life she lived in Donegal with her daughter but her heart was always in Sligo.
She will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Violet is survived by her son Leslie, daughter Hazel, son-in-law Trevor, grandchildren Melanie, Irene and Colin, nephews, nieces-in-law, nephews-in-law, cousins and extended family to whom sympathy is extended.
She is predeceased by her brother Leslie, sister Muriel and husband Bertie.