Name of soldier : Patrick McCormack
Descendent : Tony O’Neill
Tony O’Neil lives at the top of Monck Place, a pleasant side street linking the main Phibsborough Road to Great Western Square.
His address, at No 18, was once a well known one for model railway collectors, not just in Ireland but in the UK and beyond. It was the location of the Model Railway shop, run by Ciaran McGowan, which sold model sets and parts and specialised in O Guage trains : these are highly accurate replica models of actual trains, fabricated in assembled iron parts.
Tony’s living room is where model collectors would drop in and meet, as No. 18 had also been a social gathering spot. Coincidentally, it is right next to the square built by the Great Western Railway to provide houses for its engine drivers – and for ex soldiers.
Your own name: Tony O’Neill
Your relative : Grandfather
Period of activity: World War One
Specific regiment: Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Areas served in: France, Belgium, Battle of the Somme
Did you have much contact with him?
Yes, we saw a good deal of him
What are your most striking memories of him?
That he was a lively, strong man who lived to a good age (nearly 90) as did his wife (mid 90s). He worked for Dublin City Council after the war
Where is he buried?
Glasnevin cemetery
Do you have any mementos of him?
Yes, some photos – and documents which I can’t find just at the moment.
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Meanwhile, pictured below is an ‘O’ Guage model train engine, built at Monck Place. Further information on the Model Railway shop is also below, including an RTE TV report from 1985.
RTÉ Archives | Lifestyle | Model Railway Kits https://www.rte.ie/archives/2020/1120/1179432-model-railway-kits/
McGowan Built MODELS – Questions & Answers – Irish Railway Modeller https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/8618-mcgowan-built-models/
The Lion and the Shamrock 