A man of leisure

Standing outside his fine two storey home with easterly views of fields for as far as the eye can see, Jim George Farrelly sets our geographical bearings: three miles from Virginia, likewise to Ballyjamesduff, four to Oldcastle.

Cornacrave is how he spells this tranquil part of Castlerahan, “more spell it Cornacreeve” Jim George concedes. It seems somehow fitting that a man with two first names should live in a townland with two spellings.

“My grandfather was George, and when I grew up in Virginia there was four other Jim Farrellys in the one area more or less,” he says, and that’s not counting his own father - also Jim George. “If you looked for me and didn’t say Jim George, you could be sent to any of them. You had Jimmy ‘the Rocks’, James ‘of the Lake’, you had Jim Charlie, and Jimmy Josie - all James Farrellys.”

His six year old golden retriever Honey has wearily joined the welcoming party.

“I’ve a goat and two kids and they don’t get on,” says Jim George explaining Honey’s skittishness.

At that we hear bleating and Honey ducks into the house. One, then two rangey kids emerge from around the corner. Given their size, I don’t know about calling them kids, maybe teens.

“Would he butt me?” your intrepid reporter asks.

No Jim George assures, and notes they reserve their ire for his outdoor plants instead.

“If you had shrubs that you were minding, they’d eat all about the place on you,” he cautions as one gamely nibbles a cotoneaster.

Closing them in behind a gate Jim George explains, “The grandkids have them for Virginia Show, and we’ll bring over pet lambs, and a donkey and foal. Great interest for them.”

We join Honey in the kitchen where Jim George cheerfully shares a letter, addressed to either Cornacrave or Cornacreeve, that coincidentally arrived that very morning. It’s his invite to the 82nd Virginia Show along with a yellow rosette stating ‘Honorary President’.

Jim George’s genuine affection for the Show is apparent in his smiling recollections of attending it in his youth.

Born and reared in Cranadillon on the outskirts of Virginia, the Show has been a fixture in the Farrelly calendar for Jim George’s entire life. Maybe just five years old he was brought the mile and a half journey to the showgrounds by his parents in the ‘40s. In the years that followed he swiftly graduated to showing cattle himself.

“We brought in a bucket fed calf for a neighbour and you’d get maybe third prize. But that calf now, you’d be left walking round and round the ring, you wouldn’t be pulled in. The standard has gone so high. But at that time it was a treat to get a third.”

As a teenager, representing his neighbour, he once claimed a coveted red rosette for first place.

“Sure that was great. And all the prize winners then would parade round the big arena - all the first prize winners in every section - that was great.”

Showjumping was a highlight in the era before equestrian centres became the norm and Jim George fondly recalls how “all the top showjumpers” competed.

“The army would have a lorry of great jumpers - the great Eddie Macken and Paul Darragh, they’d all compete in Virginia and the crowd came to see the showjumping. The Showjumping went on until 8.30pm at night.”

Then the Show finished up with the Show Dance in the Farmers Ballroom.

“That was a big night - everyone went back.”

Seemingly enjoying Jim Geroge’s reminisces as much as this reporter, Honey has snuggled up against my leg.

“All she wants is attention - if you’re not talking to her, she’ll nearly make you by putting up her paw.”

Jim George met Castlerahan native Bridie and they set up home in this fine house in 1968, rearing a family of five - Alma, Elaine, Antoinette, Paul and Damien, who inevitably relished Show Day. Jim George naturally became a farmer keeping store cattle and “every breed” of sheep, and occasionally he’d be tempted to compete in some of the livestock classes.

“If you had one good enough you’d enter. You might think you had a good one at home until you got to the show, with the competition that was there, even years back. But it was all good - a win would be great, but to compete and be there, that was the main thing,” says Jim George.

In addition to the grandkids’ pet animals, he still keeps a flock of 20 sheep to keep himself ticking over.

Sadly Bridie passed away three years ago.

“She competed for years with flowers,” he says of Bridie. “She loved the Show. For two weeks before the show she would be getting flowers ready - standing looking at them and taking one out and putting another in type of thing,” he says smiling as he’s brought back to those carefree times.

“She used to ask me: ‘What do you think?’ I’d tell her, ‘I’d give them all first prize if I was judging’.”

Their daughter Alma has inherited Bridie’s passion for flowers and runs a garden centre outside Oldcastle.

After a lifetime of dedication, Jim George stepped down from the Show committee two years ago.

“I always said if I live to be 80, I’ll retire. I’m a man of leisure now.

“I get to see the Show now, when you are involved in the job, and when judging and all is over, a lot of the Show is over. But now in the last few years with the grandkids, I’m able to see all the show that I wouldn’t have seen previously.”

His must-see events on showday are in the cattle classes.

“It’s great to see the men competing with the young limousins and young charolais, and then along with the Baileys, the Liffey Meats class for the best beef bullock and that gets a great audience - there’s tough judging on that because you could give any of them nearly first prize. The standard is that high.”

Now his attention has passed onto nurturing the next generation of competitors in his grandchildren, which is where the goats come in. When he talks about his grandkids take part, sure he could be the five year old from Cranadillon again, heading of with Jim George senior.

“Some of them come with me with the animals - they’re looking forward to it for the month before. It’s brilliant. And all their pals are in there in Show Day.”

Jim George will have a fair few pals of his own in Virginia, some of whom are honorary presidents like himself.

“It’s a great tribute and we all go back in there and have lunch and reminisce about shows down the years.”