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.
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)
Dignitaries, members of the Irish Defence Forces, veterans, family, and members of the public turned out in the rain today at Grangegorman Military Cemetery to remember those who served and lost their lives during the Great War. The annual remembrance event is co-hosted by the OPW and Claddagh Branch Royal British Legion (RoI). The colour guard was provided by members of the Prison Service. The British Ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett CMG laid a wreath.
Victory Day commemorations in Dublin 100 years Ago Today
On 11 November, 1918, the guns fell silent across frontlines
spanning several continents. Some ten million military personnel and eight
million civilians lost their lives. Millions of others were severally wounded,
many went on to live with hidden wounds that haunted them for the rest of their
lives. The war to end all wars, however, did not officially end until the
signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919 in Versailles between the
Allied Powers and Germany; exactly five years after the assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The remaining Central Powers signed separate
treaties.
Evening News, 28 June 1919
To celebrate the ending of the war and to pay tribute to the
men and women who had fought and died during the conflict, Victory Day or Peace
Day commemorations were held around the world. In Britain a Peace Committee met
on 9 May 1919, and outlined a series of celebrations throughout the Great
Britain and Ireland running over four days, including a Public Holiday, Victory
Marches, a day of thanksgiving services, and other popular festivities. The
main Victory/Peace Parades took place on 19 July, 1919. In Ireland parades were
held throughout the country; the largest taking place in Dublin centred around
College Green.
The Evening Herald, Saturday, 19 July, 1919 reported:
‘Dublin’s Peace Day
Huge Crowds Witness Military Pageant in the Streets
THE IRISH REGIMENTS CHEERED
The much-discussed military demonstration in celebration of
Peace took place to-day in Dublin, and was witnessed by huge crowds who lined the
streets in the vicinity of College Green. The chief centre of attraction was
College Green, where a platoon was erected outside the Bank of Ireland, and was
occupied Viscount French, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and other members of the
Irish Government.
It is estimated that 15,000 troops and about 5,000 demobilised
soldiers (all Irish) took part in the “Victory Parade.” The remnants of the
Irish regiments were heartily greeted by the assembled crowds. Irish music by many
bands was a feature of the proceeding.’
Images from Freemans Journal 21 July, 1919 and Irish Life, 25 July 1919.
The papers noted the excitement in Dublin as people
travelled to the city the previous day and took up roof top positions early
that morning; crowds even trampled each other around O’Connell Bridge when they
leaned the parade was not coming their way. A detachment of Irish Guards had
been sent from London and it was their pipe band who took a pride of place.
Amongst the guardsmen was a blinded comrade. Some of the units taken part
included: the Royal Irish Regiment, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the Royal
Irish Fusiliers, the Connaught Rangers, the Royal Munster Fusiliers, the Royal
Dublin Fusiliers and the Leinster Regiment also marched. Naturally the Royal
Dublin Fusiliers, which were estimated at a 1,000, were greeted with cheer
after cheer. For those wounded who couldn’t march a viewing stand was erected.
The bands played a variety of Irish music; St. Patrick’s Day and the Wearing of
the Green most noted.
The Irish Times noted: ‘Outside of London the whole kingdom saw no more heart-stirring celebration of the day than in Dublin. Our city’s Victory March furnished a noble answer to those who say that Ireland did not give her best to the cause of freedom.’
Around the country other smaller parades took place in
Athlone, Belfast, Cork, and Limerick, just to name a few.
Not everyone was happy with the parades. Black flags were hung out in several areas to note those who had been killed. Between 3,000 and 5,000 nationalist veterans under Sir Henry Grattan Bellew boycotted the parade as they felt betrayed after fighting for the liberation of smaller nations and Ireland was still without Home Rule. Republicans too were not impressed and in places sneered at the troops and painted slogans such as ‘You fought for freedom where is it!’
Victory Parade, Dublin photographed by Joseph Cashman, shows troops marching past College Green from the roof of Trinity College Dublin. The Cashman Collection is held at RTÉ Archives. Images: Courtesy of RTÉ Archives.
