Holly’s school holiday memories of Slane

Ms Cairns' mother is Madeline McKeever, a daughter of the late Marcus and Ethel McKeever who farmed just outside the village

When Social Democrats leader, Holly Cairns was in Meath on Friday, it wasn't her first visit to the Royal County.

In fact the Cork-born TD has been a frequent visitor to Meath, and Slane in particular, all her life as her mother is a Slane native.

“We spent most of our school holidays in Slane, visiting my grandmother and cousins,” she explains.

Ms Cairns' mother is Madeline McKeever, a daughter of the late Marcus and Ethel McKeever who farmed just outside Slane.

“We travelled up and down to Slane our whole lives. We still have a strong connection with Slane, I have still have cousins there. In fact some of them are visiting in West Cork at the moment.

“I have great memories of Slane. In my teenage years, we went to the concerts and it was great to be able to just walk home to Granny's, rather than queueing for all the buses.

“I have lovely memories of walking down to Mimnaghs for 99s and playing in Granny's back garden.

“My mother grew up on the farm, but they moved in to the village when she was older.

“She was always a political activist, campaigning on different issues. We are exceptionally close. We still live next to each other in Cork. She is my biggest supporter and rock.”

Madeline contested the 2004 Skibbereen Town Council election as a Green Party candidate, she is an environmental activist and was involved in a campaign for market traders rights in Cork.

The Social Democrats leader comes from a line of very strong independent women, including her mother and grandmother.

Her grandmother, Ethel McKeever (nee Mahon) grew up in Dublin during World War ll.

“As she was growing up, she thought, well if Hitler takes over the UK, he will then take Ireland and she wanted to sign up, so when she was 21 she got on a train to Belfast and signed up.

“She became an electrician in the RAF, wiring the bombs into planes.

“She was in the first group of female electricians in the RAF. As the Irish girl in the group, she was known as Paddy to everyone. She moved around a lot at that time. She was an amazing woman.”

Holly never met her grandfather, Marcus McKeever, as he had passed away before she was born.

“They were beef farmers. Mum is still farming. She is a beef farmer in West Cork.”

Ms Cairns was delighted to be in Meath on Friday, meeting the two Social Democrat candidates in Meath, Cllr Ronan Moore and Paul Nolan.

However, she is a regular visitor to the Royal County. “I still have strong connections her and I visit regularly. I have such happy memories of Slane.”