Nostalgia and past memories renewed at Longford Devlin family reunion
Synonymous with Longford town, the Devlin family have contributed significantly to the identity of the county town.
A recent clan gathering brought those bearing the name from across the globe back 'home'.
This is the second time Helene Devlin (pictured) has organised the Devlin Family reunion in Longford.
“We had one back in 2017, but following the awful events of Covid and the passing of some family members, I decided it was time to do it again,” Helene told the Leader.
Drawing together the many strands of the clan has a special significance for Helene: “It's a wonderful thing to come together to celebrate family and come back to where the whole thing began here in Longford.
“My dad, Owen Devlin, is the oldest living member of this branch of the Devlin clan. He is turning 92 this week. He grew up on Great Water Street and moved to Dublin to work after he finished school.”
The organiser was pleased with the response to this year's event: “The last time we held the family reunion was 2017. We had around 160 people attend on that day. This time we had 120. We lost a few of our numbers over the last few years, and we had a few additions.”
The six years since the last gathering have seen changes in the family: “There are a lot of people here who were at the last one, but we also have a number of people who came this year after hearing how brilliant it was.”
Helene commended the venue, the Longford Arms, on the quality of their hospitality: “The food was delicious, everyone was raving about it. The way everything was set up was fantastic.”
The organiser is hopeful the tradition of the Clan gathering she has instigated will be continued: “I don't know if I will have the energy to organise the next one in five years or so, but I hope one of the next generation might take up the challenge.
“There is a lot of organisation in it. It's quite a journey. We have had Devlins from Australia, Wales, England and from all over Ireland.”