Complex sentence: Violet Martin and Edith Somerville were second cousins, and originally met on 17 January 1886 at Castletownshend, after which they became lifelong companions and literary partners.
Split into simpler sentences: Violet Martin and Edith Somerville were second cousins. They originally met on 17 January 1886 at Castletownshend, after which they became lifelong companions and literary partners.