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.
The centenary of the Ulster Memorial Tower was commemorated this morning in Northern France.
Inaugurated on 19 November 1921, the Ulster Tower at Thiepval on the Somme commemorates the sacrifice of soldiers from Ulster and across the island of Ireland during the First World War. The Ulster Tower stands on the ground attacked at great cost by the 36th (Ulster) Division on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916.
The combined musicians of the Bugles Pipes and Drums, Regimental Band of the Royal Irish Regiment and the Irish Defence Forces 2nd Brigade Band, march on the standards provided by members of the Royal British Legion.
This morning’s commemoration was attended by dignitaries including First Minister of Northern Ireland Paul Givan MLA, Ireland’s Minister of State Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for EU Affairs Thomas Byrne TD, British Ambassador to France Her Excellency Menna Rawlings and Counsellor at the Irish Embassy in Paris Owen Feeney. The service was led by Rt. Rev. Dr. David Bruce, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; Rev. Dr. Sahr Yamhasu, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; and The Most Revd. Francis John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh.
The ceremony was supported by the Bugles, Pipes and Drums and the Regimental Band of the British Army’s Royal Irish Regiment and by the 2nd Brigade Band of the Irish Defence Forces. The military musicians were accompanied by mezzo-soprano and alto Emma Brown who sung You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Following the ceremony First Minister Mr. Givan said: “It’s an honour for me to be here today on this historic occasion to mark 100 years of the Ulster Tower which memorialises the sacrifice that was made by the men of the 36th Ulster Division and remembers those who served from right across Ireland in the First World War.”
“The connections with the Ulster Division and the Irish Division is something that we always need to remember, where people stood side by side irrespective of their religion or indeed their identity, whether they were British or Irish, they shed blood together here in the trenches and stood in common cause for the freedoms that we enjoy today.”
Reiterating the importance of today’s commemoration Minister Thomas Byrne stated: “It is an honour to be here at the Ulster Tower. It is essential that we commemorate all those who died in battle during World War One, knowing that the soldiers that are commemorated here are from all nine counties of Ulster and many are from across the island of Ireland North and South fought in World War One and died in World War One. It is critical that we continue to honour their memories and to work always for peace and reconciliation both at home and indeed across the globe.
Today’s event was organised by the Somme Association, based in Newtownards, County Down, who are responsible for the maintenance of the Ulster Tower.
As the combined Royal Irish Regiment and Defence Forces bands marched from the Ulster Memorial Tower at the end of the centenary commemoration last week to the tune of On Raglan Road, it was a moment to reflect on the importance on the occasion. The Ulster Memorial Tower stands tribute to those from the province of Ulster, in particular to members of the 36th Ulster Division, who fought during the Great War and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Today it is sacred ground.
Ulster Tower Centenary Album
Ulster Tower Memorial Centenary 19 November 2021 Thiepval , France, Photos by John O’Byrne
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.
Tipperary Studies Launch Irish Great War Dead Archive
Armistice Day, 11 November, each year marks the ending of the Great War 1914 – 1918. Marking the day this year Tipperary Studies have launched a new digital archive dedicated to Ireland’s Great War dead: www.irelandsgreatwardead.ie. The archive contains a database of 31,384 war dead entries of servicemen and servicewomen from the 26 counties of the Rep. of Ireland, in so far as the information is known. Work continues to record the names of the Great War dead from the six counties in Northern Ireland. Expanding on the list of entries recorded in Ireland’s Memorial Records, the database gives added detail about family connections, residence, where such has been identified.
The archive is the work of military historian Tom Burnell. Tom has spent almost twenty years researching the Great War dead from Ireland and some added features of Tom’s research also includes contemporary press reports and death certificate information, where such was available to him. Tom offered this database of work to Tipperary Studies, to host, so that his research, the genealogical information and records therein would be available to a wider audience. There are various search options available, where people can use the search box to view specific entries and categories. Searches may also be filtered by Regiment or Service.
A map of the war dead graves in Tipperary, from the two World Wars, is also included. Tom has photographed all grave memorials, and coupled with directions to each site, they give a local aspect to his research. The website also includes a list of several online resources from Ireland and around the world, that will help users delve deeper into the Great War period.
Royal Irish Rifles ration party, Somme, July 1916.
The database begins with Lance Corporal John Abbey from Baltinglass, County Wicklow. Serving with 1st Battalion Irish Guards, he was killed in action at Givenchy on 8 August 1915. He is buried in the Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, France.
The database ends with Rifleman Richard Zimber. Born in New Ross County Wexford, he served with 4th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps under the alias Richard Frederick Cairns. He was killed in action on 8 May 1915. He is listed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
On Sunday evening next, 14 November, both Tom Burnell and Pat Bracken will feature on The History Show, with Myles Dungan, to talk about the new website in a special Remembrance Sunday episode of the programme. The programme airs from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.
Located above the Source Library and Arts Centre, Thurles, Tipperary Studies is dedicated to documenting and preserving the County’s rich cultural, social, economic and sporting histories, and aims to offer open, friendly and easy access to the Library’s collections to visitors both in person and through correspondence.
Royal British Legion Centenary Commemoration Belfast War Memorial 2021
Photos by Wesley Bourke
First published 20 September
First published 26 September 2021, last updated 14 April 2023
Standards and veterans from the island of Ireland gathered at the Belfast War Memorial/City Hall today to celebrate 100 years of the Royal British Legion (RBL). An Act of Remembrance was observed at the War Memorial. The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Irish Regiment then led the parade through Belfast to Belfast Cathedral for a service to mark the RBL 100. The celebrations were due to be held earlier in the year, but due to Covid-19 restrictions this was postponed.
With the ending of the Great War some 6million had gone through the ranks of the British Armed Forces. Of those that returned 1.75 had some sort of disability, with half left with a permanent disability. The British Legion was formed on 15 May 1921, bringing together four national organisations of ex-Servicemen that had established themselves after the war: The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers. The British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers.
On 26 September 2021 standards and veterans from the island of Ireland gathered at the Belfast War Memorial/City Hall to celebrate 100 years of the Royal British Legion (RBL). An Act of Remembrance was observed at the War Memorial. The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Irish Regiment then led the parade through Belfast to Belfast Cathedral for a service to mark the RBL 100. The celebrations were due to be held earlier in the year, but due to Covid-19 restrictions this was postponed.
With the ending of the Great War some 6 million had gone through the ranks of the British Armed Forces. Of those that returned 1.75 had some sort of disability, with half left with a permanent disability. The British Legion was formed on 15 May 1921, bringing together four national organisations of ex-Servicemen that had established themselves after the war: The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers. The British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers. Due to partition in 1922, the RBL in the Rep. of Ireland (then the Irish Free State) was formally established in 1925.
Today the Royal British Legion is the UK’s leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces (Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy) past and present and their families. It is also the UK’s custodian of remembrance. On the island of Ireland there are some 150,000 and 20,000 ex-service personnel of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, in Northern Ireland and the Rep. of Ireland respectively. The Royal British Legion supports veterans throughout the island through a network of branches and outreach programmes. You can find the RBL Norther Ireland in Craig Plaza, 51-53 Fountain St, Belfast. The RBL is also a registered charity in the Rep. of Ireland with headquarters in Molesworth Street, Dublin.
Today the Royal British Legion is the UK’s leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces (Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy) past and present and their families. It is also the UK’s custodian of remembrance. On the island of Ireland there are some 150,000 and 20,000 ex-service personnel of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, in Northern Ireland and the Rep. of Ireland respectively. The Royal British Legion supports veterans throughout the island through a network of branches and outreach programmes. You can find the RBL Norther Ireland in Craig Plaza, 51-53 Fountain St, Belfast. The RBL is also a registered charity in the Rep. of Ireland with headquarters in Molesworth Street, Dublin. Due to partition in 1922, the RBL in the Rep. of Ireland was formally established in 1925.
A service will be held in Belfast Cathedral to celebrate the centenary of the RBL. A live stream of the service will be provided on: www.facbook.com/BelfastCathedral
The livestream will commence at 15:00 for the arrival of the standards, with the Service starting at 15:30.
Royal British Legion 100 Celebrations Belfast
Thank you to the Royal British Legion Northern Ireland and Belfast City Hall.
You can contact the Royal British Legion in Northern Ireland via: Area Office Address
The Royal British Legion
51-53 Fountain Street
Belfast BT1 5EB
Tel: 0808 802 8080
This Helpline is open 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. 7 days a week and is free from UK landlines and the main mobile networks.
This project was supported by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Photo: a lonely Commonwealth War Grave Commission Headstone in Tay Lane Cemetery, Celbridge, Co. Kildare
Walking through cemeteries you may have wondered why graves of servicemen dated 1919, 1920 and 1921 have a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone. This is due to a sometimes-forgotten fact, today 31 August, marks the official end of the Great War.
Although guns fell silent with the signing of the armistice on 11 November 1918, treaties had to be signed and the war had to be officially ended. For example, the Treaty of Versailles, signed on 28 June 1919, ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. Different treaties were signed with other powers. To officially end the war the British Parliament passed The Termination of the Present War (Definition) Act 1918 which allowed the government to determine the official ending of the war between the British Empire and the Central Powers. Officially the war ended between the British Empire and Germany on 10 January 1920; Austria on 16 July 1920; Bulgaria on 9 August 1920; Hungary on 26 July 1921; and Turkey on 6 August 1924. It was declared for all other purposes, the Great War to have officially ended on 31 August 1921.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was established by Royal Charter on 21 May 1917. They commemorate those who died as a result of their service up until the official end of the war on 31 August 1921. That includes those who died in service and those who died after they were discharged.
Two such examples include:
Air Mechanic 2nd Class, Charles Sheridan, Royal Air Force. Died on 16 August 1921. Buried in Tay Lane Cemetery, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, and Sapper J. Cash, Royal Engineers. Died 21 February 1919. Buried in Deans Grange Cemetery, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.
Air Mechanic 2nd Class, Charles Sheridan, Royal Air Force. Died on 16 August 1921. Buried in Tay Lane Cemetery, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. (Photo by Wesley Bourke)
Sapper J. Cash, Royal Engineers. Died 21 February 1919. Buried in Deans Grange Cemetery, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. (Photo by Peter Molloy)
With Covid restrictions easing we are recommencing our projects. We recently spent the day in the The Somme Association & Somme Museum with Carol Walker Director of the Somme Association, working on a multimedia project dedicated to Ireland and the Great War.
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.
1 July is a poignant day in military history. On that day in 1916, the 141 days of the Battle of the Somme began. Nine corps of the French Sixth Army and the British Fourth and Third armies attacked the German 2nd Army. It was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army – of the 57,470 British casualties, 19,240 men had been killed. the 36th (Ulster) Division had over 5,000 casualties; 2,069 of whom were killed. All three regiments were awarded the Battle Honour ALBERT 1916.
Wreaths were laid earlier today at the Cenotaph, Belfast City Hall, for the annual Somme commemoration in remembrance of all those who lost their lives.
The photographs below show the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Kate Nicholl accompanying Danny Kinahan, NI Veterans Commissioner; Maj Philip Morrison, Royal British Legion President NI and Lt Col Ken Martin, Royal British Legion President RoI.
Thank you to The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office for their support. Thank you to Belfast City Hall/Council for their permission to attend today’s event.
Danny Kinahan, NI Veterans Commissioner
Maj Philip Morrison, Royal British Legion President NI and Lt Col Ken Martin, Royal British Legion President RoI.
Over the past year and half we have been researching for our first project – Celbridge’s Military Story. This project has led us down history trails we never envisaged. A project by the History Squad in Scoil Na Mainistreach on Celbridge’s casualties of the Great War led us to Major William Dease – son of Sir Col. Gerald Dease – who in turn had recruited local men into the Remounts in 1914. By pure chance we came across a casualty of the Great War not on the Celbridge war dead list: Private Robert Beveridge 28th Remount Squadron who is buried in Naas, County Kildare. Robert died on 25 January 1919 in the Curragh Military Hospital. The Kildare Observer confirmed he had been given a military funeral with honours paid by the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Robert’s military records have not survived and no birth cert exists. Last year we inconclusively connected Robert to Celbridge through census records: the census listed a Robert Beverage, foster child with the Lennon family in Celbridge and later a labourer. Digging up several conundrums we came to multiple dead ends to conclusively prove the two Roberts were one of the same.
Not wanting to leave it at that we endeavoured to find out more. With the help of historians Drs Ann Mathews and Brendan O’Shea, local historians Jim Tancred and George Bagnall, Graham Hughes and Martin Whyte of St. Corban’s cemetery, and David Grant (www.cairogang.com) the story of Robert began to come together piece by piece. Through documents such as Robert’s Soldier’s Effects we were able to link the Private Beveridge buried in Naas to Celbridge and the Lennon family. As it turns out the Lennon family are still in the area and proudly remember Robert. We met the Lennon family – who still poses Robert’s medals and his photograph – and paid tribute at his grave. The History Squad had the key all along. 100 years ago, the Lennon family were the stuart’s of the Dease estate in Celbridge Abbey and Kilmacredock.
We will be bringing you Robert’s full story in the coming months.
Nora and Eoghan Lennon at the grave of Private Robert Beveridge in Naas. (Photograph by Wesley Bourke)
This project is sponsored by Kildare County Council Heritage Office.
