Poetry Awards and Publications

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Robert Ievers Sullivan, Sligo RIC County Inspector

And who was this RIC Co Inspector for Sligo whose writing isn't the easiest to decipher. His name was Robert Ievers Sullivan and here he is in the 1911 Census return. His handwriting caused a problem for the present-day transcriber who rendered his middle name Ievers as Teven. I've sent in a correction.

Robert was a Limerick native, married a Wexford lady and his children were born in Cork and Kerry. Policemen were liable to be transferred often. The Ievers second name may be his mother's maiden name - it does seem to occur often in Limerick. Robert called a son after himself and a daughter after his wife. His son, who is a medical student in 1911, in Trinity presumably, joined the medical corps and was wounded and decorated during the Great War - Military Cross. You have to search for Sullivan in the pdf links.

Here is the family in Tralee in 1901 where Robert was a District Inspector. They have a groom in Kerry but not in Sligo. does this mean that he kept a horse in Kerry but not in Sligo? Was the horse a leisure occupation or official transport? No time for leisure in Sligo as the political situation hots up?

The temptation is to spend hours online following up leads - his grandchildren must be alive somewhere today. Did the family emigrate after the Treaty? Some former RIC members got positions in police forces in far flung Empire outposts. If you find out anything let me know.

1 comment:

  1. Michael - Can you send an email address to editor@irishdigest.com which is located in the north west up here, regarding the book you are writing on the Civil war etec in Sligo.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete