Restoration of Memorial to Forgotten Celbridge Figure – Sir Gerald Dease
We have spoken about Sir Gerald Richard Dease K.C.V.O. previously and his memorial outside St. Patrick’s Church, Celbridge. He is all but forgotten in Celbridge; the Celtic Cross is commonly mistaken for a marker to a priest. The cross in many ways highlights how quickly history can fade with time. With the help of Kildare County Council Heritage Office and Celbridge Parish Office we have begun a restoration and conservation project on the Dease memorial cross. The works are being carried out by Bracken Monuments.
Born on 7 July 1831 Dease was a prominent person in the late 19th century in Ireland. He was Justice of the Peace for Counties Kildare and Meath, a Director of the Great Southern & Western Railway and appointed a Director of the Bank of Ireland (the predecessor to the Central Bank) and its Governor between 1890 and 1892. On 27 July 1881, Dease was appointed Major and Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers). He also served as the Chamberlain to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and was involved in the organisation of several royal visits to Ireland. For his excellent service he was Knighted in 1897, being made a Companion of the Royal Victorian Order in 1900 and a Knight Grand Cross of the same order on 11 August 1903. Locally Sir Gerald Dease served on Kildare County Council on several occasions and served as Chairman of the Celbridge Board of Guardians [the Workhouse] (today Colourtrend paint factory) and within both bodies he became an advocate for improved conditions for the poor. He lobbied extensively for the creation of a National University to which Catholics would have full access. It is for these efforts he was most remembered.
Following his death on 18 October 1903, the people of Celbridge raised the funds and erected the Celtic Cross memorial in recognition of this remarkable man. Soon when people walk by they will clearly see the name Sir Gerald Richard Dease K.C.V.O. There is still a little more to do on the restoration. We will keep you posted.
Thank you to Kildare County Council Heritage Office and Celbridge Parish Office for their support.
Sunday 12 June marks the centenary of the disbandment of the Irish regiments of the British Army from the south of Ireland. On 12 June 1922, King George V received the Colours of The Royal Irish Regiment, The Connaught Rangers, The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment, The Royal Munster Fusiliers and The Royal Dublin Fusiliers for safekeeping at Windsor Castle where they remain to this day. The South Irish Horse disbanded on 31 July that year. To mark the centenary the Combined Irish Regiments Association held a parade at the Cenotaph in London this morning, while in Dublin the regimental associations will held a service in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.
The Combined Irish Regiments Association organised a wonderful parade to mark the occasion. Standards were paraded in to the music of The Pipes and Drums – London Irish Rifles Association. Members on parade included the Royal British Legion, the Leinster Regiment Association, Irish Guards, Royal Irish Regiment, and the Irish Defence Forces, along with veterans and family descendants of those who served.
At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the beautiful service also remembered the disbandment of the South Irish Horse. The event was organised by the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association on behalf of all the regimental associations including: the Royal Munster Fusiliers, Connaught Rangers, 18th Reg of Foot Royal Irish Regiment Association, and the Leinster Regiment association. To the pipes of Anthony Byrne, the regimental standards marched through the cathedral to the ‘Last of the Great Whales’. A beautiful ceremony followed with regimental songs sung by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral choir. In attendance was the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Alison Gilliland, Ambassadors, members of the Oireachtas, the Irish Defence Forces, the Royal Irish Regiment, and descendants and family of those who served in the regiments. Lest we forget.
Royal Irish and Defence Forces Musicians Lift the Air of Albert
Photos by John O’Byrne
Last updated 14:03 29 November 2021
Following the commemoration service at Thiepval to mark the centenary of the Ulster Memorial Tower on Friday, the combined bands of the Royal Irish Regiment Bugles, Pipes and Drums and Regimental Band, and the Irish Defence Forces 2nd Brigade Band played a concert at Basilique Notre-Dame de Brebières, Albert. Conducted by WO1 Richard Douglas MBE, Royal Irish Regiment and Capt. Tom Kelly, 2nd Brigade, guests were treated to a lively and solemn selection of Irish tunes, regimental marches and Great War era music.
Video by Terry Healy
March Militaire, Gael Force, Path to Peace, Star of County Down, Keep the Home Fires Burning, Regimental March of the Royal Irish Rifles, and Fáinne Geal An Lae, are just a few of the tunes that enchanted the audience. The mezzo-soprano and alto Emma Brown performed a beautiful recital of Danny Boy. In Irish tradition the pipes were sounded for the grande finale and the Pipes and Drums marched through the Basilique and up the streets of Albert to the regimental march Killaloe.
In Irish tradition the pipes were sounded for the finale and the Pipes and Drums marched through the Basilique and up the streets of Albert to the regimental march Killaloe.
From l-r: Paul Givan MLA, First Minister of Northern Ireland; Claude Cliquet, Lord Mayor of Albert; Valérie Saintoyant, Sous-préfète; Carol Walker MBE, Director of Somme Association; Major General C R J Weir DSO MBE, Colonel The Royal Irish Regiment.
Around Ireland today communities gathered for Remembrance Sunday, to reflect and commemorate those from their area that served and lost their lives during the Great War 1914 – 1918. Today we attended the annual service at Old St. Michael’s Cemetery, Athy, County Kildare. During the Great War some 2,000 men and women from the town and surrounding area served; of these at least 290 lost their lives. Incredible considering the small size of the population at the time. One of those who served was Major John Vincent Holland VC. Their service, and Athy’s role during that period, are remembered in the Shackleton Museum. The work on Athy’s Great War service continues, with historians Clem Roche and Frank Taaffe endeavouring to ensure all those who served or lost their lives are remembered.
Thank you to Kildare County Council Heritage Office for their support.
The Cavalry Corps is one of the oldest Corps in Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces. Each year the troopers come together at the Cavalry Memorial Garden, DFTC, to honour and remember their deceased members and the sacrifices made at home and overseas.
Cavalry Day is traditionally held on the first Saturday of September.
75 years ago today – 1 September 1946 – the Irish Naval Service was formally established as an arm of the Irish Defence Forces (Óglaigh na hÉireann). The Naval Service is the Irish State’s principal seagoing agency with a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements. From the early days of the three lonely Flower-class corvettes – L.É. Cliona, Maev and Macha – the Irish Naval Service has evolved to a modern sophisticated national maritime defence and security agency with a responsibility for an area of some 141,000 square nautical miles. Over its 75 years’ service, the Naval Service has carried out such duties as arms and drug interdiction, search and rescue, and fishery protection. Naval Service personnel have deployed on overseas missions with their Army and Air Corps counterparts, not to mention its recent deployment to the Mediterranean as part of the European Union humanitarian response to African migration.
To mark the 75th anniversary today, L.É. Samuel Beckett (P61) – led a ceremony at Carlisle Pier in Dún Laoghaire. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney T.D., Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Alison Gilliland, and An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr Lettie McCarthy attended the ceremony receiving military honours from a Sub Lieutenants Guard of Honour (55 personnel all ranks) on Carlisle Pier. The L.É. Samuel Beckett then transited to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin for the remainder of the ceremony. As the ship exited Dún Laoghaire harbour, she was honoured with an Artillery Gun Salute provided by Gunners from 2nd Brigade Artillery Regiment.
At Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, the P61 received a helicopter flypast by two Irish Air Corps helicopters before receiving salutes from the crews of L.É. George Bernard Shaw (P64), L.É. James Joyce (P62) and L.É. WB Yeats (P63). Thank You Irish Naval Service For 75 Years of Outstanding Service
Members of the 2nd Infantry Battalion Association paraded at Dublin’s Mansion House today to commemorate the convening of the Second Dáil on 16 August 1921.
Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Alison Gilliland inspecting the Guard of Honour provided by the veterans of 2nd Infantry Battalion Association
Taking the salute from the veterans at the Mansion House the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Alison Gilliland, said: “It is an honour to welcome the Second Infantry Battalion veterans Association to the Mansion House today to mark the centenary of the first meeting of the Second Dáil in the Round Room at the Mansion House.”
Annual Somme Remembrance Service – Irish War Memorial Gardens
Photos by John O’Byrne
We were honoured to attend and photograph the Special Somme Service of Remembrance and Wreath Laying at Irish War Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge.A special ecumenical service of commemoration and wreath-laying was held on Saturday 10th July in the Rose Garden at the Irish National War Memorial in Islandbridge. This annual Somme time event is arranged and led by the Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland with the co-operation and assistance of the Irish Government. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this years’ service was a special ‘scaled-back’ and socially distanced commemoration,This annual event commemorates all those who lost their lives at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and in the two World Wars; in particular the estimated 60,000 Irish men and women who servedand died in those conflicts; it remembers too the often-unacknowledged loss felt by Irish families of those wartime generations.
The War Memorial Gardens are a 32-county memorial, and the event is a shared Ireland ceremony.
Representation of all traditions of the Island of Ireland is a central feature of this commemoration and the standards of Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are on parade
throughout an ecumenical service of Remembrance. Official wreaths were laid by the Irish and Northern Ireland Governments, members of the Diplomatic Corps of the principle ‘Somme’ nations(UK, France, Germany, Canada, New Zealand and Australia), Service and veterans representatives from the UK and Ireland. A special wreath was laid this year on behalf of all those who cannot to be present at 2021 Islandbridge due to continuing Covid-19 regulations. Music was provided jointly by musicians of the Irish Defence Forces and the Royal Irish Regiment.
In attendance:
Jack Chambers TD, Minister of State & Government Chief Whip, representing An Taoiseach and the Government of Ireland. Paul Givan MLA, The First Minister of Northern Ireland. Michelle O’Neill, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. Major General Seán Clancy, Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) – representing Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM, Chief of Staff Defence Forces, Ireland.H.E. Mr Paul Johnston, The British Ambassador accompanied by Col. Darren Doherty, British Defence Attaché. H.E. Ms. Nancy Smyth, (Ambassador of Canada)M. Julien Bouchez, Second Counsellor representing H.E. M. Vincent Guérend (Ambassador of France)H.E. Frau Deike Potzel (Ambassador of Germany)H.E. Mr. Brad Burgess (Ambassador of New Zealand)Mr. Tim Millikan, chargé d’affaires, representing H.E. The Hon. Gary Gray AO. (Ambassador of Australia)Mr. John Morrison, Membership Council, representing Lt Gen James Bashall CB, National President of The Royal British Legion. Lt. Col. Ken Martin, President, The Royal British Legion, Republic of Ireland. Maj. Philip J. Morrison MBE BEM, President, The Royal British Legion, Northern Ireland. Mr. Brian Duffy, District Chairman, The Royal British Legion, Republic of Ireland. Mr. John Stewart, District Chairman, The Royal British Legion, Northern Ireland, Mr Alan Mulligan, District Treasurer, The Royal British Legion, Republic of Ireland. Mr. Ciaran Crone, District Parade Marshal, The Royal British Legion, Republic of Ireland. Mr Geoff Barry, District Standard Bearer, The Royal British Legion, Republic of Ireland. Mr Graham Anderson, District Standard Bearer, The Royal British Legion, Northern Ireland. Mr Norman Espie BEM, Asst. National Parade Marshal, The Royal British Legion (Book Bearer).Mr Alan Pickett, Branch Standard Bearer, Dublin Central Branch, RBL ROI (Book Bearer).Mr. Paul Stephenson, District Vice Chairman, RBL ROI (Head Steward).Irish National War Memorial Committee, Brigadier General (Retd) Paul Pakenham, Chairman. Office of Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, Mr. Danny Kinahan, Commissioner. Royal Naval Association – Shipmate Dr Dermot Stone, President, RNA Dublin. The Irish Guards Association Republic of Ireland – Capt. Edward Cooper, President. 28.Royal Irish Regiment Association, Republic of Ireland – Mr. Justin McQuade, President. Royal Air Force Association, Republic of Ireland – Mr. Frank Brien, Chairman. Combined Irish Regiments Association – Col. Hubert K. McAllister OBE TD DL VR, Chairman. Royal Military Police Association of Ireland – Mr Les McClarence, Secretary. French Foreign Legion Association of Ireland – Mr. Phil Casey. Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE) – Mr. Jim Fay, National President. Irish United Nations Veterans Association – Mr. Derek Judge, representing Mr Martin O’Keefe, National Chairman.
Sadly due to prevailing Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, the traditional Choral Service of Remembrance at The National Cathedral of St. Patrick in Dublin, now in its 101st year, must be conducted without the attendance of any congregation.
The 2020 Remembrance Sunday Evensong worship, by clergy and choir only, will be broadcast by St Patrick’s Cathedral via live video stream at 3.15pm on Sunday. Wreaths will be laid during the service by The Very Reverend Dr. William Morton, Dean and Ordinary of St Patrick’s Cathedral, on behalf of the President of Ireland and the President of the Royal British Legion.
2020 is the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and this year we pay a special tribute to the men and women of the Second World War generation who served and sacrificed to defend our freedoms and ways of life.
To mark this year’s Remembrance Sunday the Royal British Legion Rep. of Ireland produced a remembrance video.
We will remember them.
Michael D. Higgins arriving at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. (Image: Royal British Legion Rep. of Ireland)
In honour of Ireland’s fallen, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, insisted on attending the service at St. Patrick’s.
President Higgins lays a wreath and pays his respects at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. (Photo: Royal British Legion Rep. of Ireland)
Meanwhile Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster at a socially-distanced Remembrance Day service in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. The Taiseach laid a wreath at the war memorial and took part in a minute’s silence to remember those who fought and died in service becoming the first Fianna Fáil leader to do so on Remembrance Sunday.
I was honoured to represent the Government and lay a wreath at the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Enniskillen earlier today. A deeply moving event. It is hard to believe that the atrocity at Enniskillen was 33 years ago. pic.twitter.com/ZaXUYZg4Xe
International Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day
Pipers, Buglers, Trumpeters, Cornet Players, Town Criers and Churches around the world took part in the important commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day, better known as VJ Day: the day the war not only ended in the Pacific, but also the day the Second World War ended. Organised by Pagentmaster Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR and his dedicated team, the celebrations ensured this anniversary was commemorated. The past and present veterans of VJ Days along with their families will never be forgotten, even in the difficult times the world is currently going through due to the virus affecting us all.
Bruno Peek said: ;While we must remember and commemorate those who gave their lives or were gravely wounded during years of war, I believe VJ Day 75 is also an opportunity to celebrate the peace that came to us all at the end of the Far East campaign and of WW II. VJ Veterans and families have always felt they were the ‘forgotten army’ so I felt it important we let them know, and show them, that they are not and never will be forgotten,’.
Commemorations Worldwide
As the day dawned around the world, hundreds of Pipers will played Battle’s O’er, from safe locations of their choice. This traditional march played at the end of a battle officially started VJ Day commemorations. The first pipes sounded in New Zealand and ended 22 hours later across the Pacific on the Island of O’ahu, Hawaii. The pipes rang out on the hour as the clock strikes 06:00am local time from Nepal to Brazil and Ireland to South Africa. Aligning with national events in Australia, pipers there were asked to pipe at memorials at 09:30. Two pipers played at the highest war memorial in England, the summit of Scafell Pike. Pipers Robert R. Procter – lead piper of VJ Day 75 and Corporal Robert Cunningham, Royal Marines, with the generous support from Lakeland Mountain Guides, headed up Scafell Pike through the night to arrive at the top just before the sunrises when the time the pipes sounded across these islands.
At 10:58am around the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Ireland hundreds of buglers, trumpeters and cornet players played the Last Post from safe locations of their choice. This concluded with a two-minute silence at 11:00am, a wreath laying and Reveille.
At 11:10 75 Town Criers, one for each of the 75 years since VJ Day will undertook the ‘Cry for Peace Around the World’ from safe locations of their choice in memory of the millions of those at home and abroad that lost and gave so much to enable us to share and enjoy the freedom we have today. This was followed by the ringing of the ‘Cry for Peace’ from church bells.
The day of remembrance was concluded at 20:18pm with the sounding of ‘Sunset’.
Commemorations in Ireland
Sunrise at Islandbridge. (Photographs by John O’Byrne)
The Irish contribution to VJ Day 75 was devised and planned by the Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland. Brian Duffy, Chairman of the Royal British Legion in the Republic of Ireland, said: ‘Many thousands of Irish men and women fought with the Allies in WW II, including in the Far East so it’s both wonderful and right that we here in Ireland contribute to the commemoration and celebration of VJ Day 75 being embraced by so many around the world’.
A selection of images from the service in Islandbridge to commemorate VJ Day 75. (Photographs by John O’Byrne)
Commemorations in Ireland centered around the Irish War Memorial Gardens Islandbridge, Dublin. At 06:00am piper Anthony Byrne of the Royal British Legion played from the Great Cross while a piper of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment played at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Following the two minute silence and Northern Ireland Chairman John Stewart recited the Kohima Epitaph, which in turn was followed by the ‘Cry for Peace Around the World’ by Ciaran Crone: ‘Éistigí! éistigí! éistigí’. The VJ 75 peal from Ireland’s National Cathedral of St. Patrick’s in Dublin commenced at 11.12am.
Sunset at Islandbridge: Bugler Bill Powderly, Standard Bearer Geoff Barry and Chairman Brian Duffy. (Photograph by Wesley Bourke)
That evening ‘Sunset’ was sounded by Bill Powderly.
