Name of soldier : Larry Cassidy Name of descendent : Tommy Cassidy Tommy Cassidy lives on Great Western Villas, off Great Western Square in Phibsborough on Dublin’s northside. Both Square and Villas were built to house railway workers but also military veterans and, after 1918, there was often an overlap. Larry Cassidy was both. Already,Continue reading “Larry Cassidy – Railway man who went to Belgium with ‘the Buffs’”
Author Archives: eamondelaney
Dubliner Edward Gerrard – Fought in Gallipoli and Gaza, wounded in the 1916 Rising
Name of soldier : Edward Gerrard Name of descendent : Ailbhe Gerrard Ailbhe Gerrard is the creator of Brookfield Farm, which produces honey and beeswax candles near beautiful Lough Derg, in Tipperary. More here :Brookfield Farm – Producer of Raw Irish Honey & Beeswax Gifts https://www.brookfield.farm/ Ailbhe comes from a large and talented family, includingContinue reading “Dubliner Edward Gerrard – Fought in Gallipoli and Gaza, wounded in the 1916 Rising”
An East Wall docker and a Dorset Street plumber who joined the War
Name of soldier : William O Brien Name of descendent : Bernard Edwards Bernard Matthews and his partner Pat, pictured below, are based in Phibsborough, off the North Circular Road. They live in a charming small pocket called Cherrymount close, so named because of its profusion of cherry trees in the Spring and Summer. OnContinue reading “An East Wall docker and a Dorset Street plumber who joined the War”
William Byrne – A Corkman who was gassed twice, but lived
Name of soldier : William Byrne Descendent : Liam Byrne In 2013, Phibsborough resident Liam Byrne died tragically in an accident on his beloved Inishbofin Island, off the Galway coast. The small island was, and still is, a family holiday destination and bolthole, and the original homeland of the family of his wife Carmel. LiamContinue reading “William Byrne – A Corkman who was gassed twice, but lived”
Michael Scully – From the Liberties to the Somme
Name of soldier : Michael Scully Descendent : John McDonnell John McDonnell must have been the happiest street cleaner in North Dublin before he stepped down from Dublin City Council in 2017. He was a regular sight to be seen around Phibsborough crossroads in the morning pushing his dust cart and lifting people’s spirits withContinue reading “Michael Scully – From the Liberties to the Somme”
Aidan Byrne – From North Circular Road to the North African campaign
Soldier’s name : Aidan Asquith Byrne Descendent : Frank Keane Aidan Byrne was living on Dublin’s North Circular Road (NCR) when he joined the Second World War as a doctor with the Royal Medical Army Corps. He worked with the field ambulance in North Africa for which he was awarded the Military Cross, and laterContinue reading “Aidan Byrne – From North Circular Road to the North African campaign”
Edward Keegan – Sudan War veteran with a Republican son
Name of soldier : Edward Keegan Descendent : Marie Fitzgerald Edward Keegan had a military career which took him far from his home in the Liberties in Dublin city. A member of the Royal Irish Regiment, be fought in the Egypt and Sudan campaign in the 1880s and was part of the Nile Expedition ofContinue reading “Edward Keegan – Sudan War veteran with a Republican son”
Great Aunt Sally – ‘You’ll get no more sons from me’
Name of soldier : Michael Lavelle Descendent : Sarah Anne Byrne Sarah Anne Byrne grew up in Phibsborough with her Mum Carmel and her late father Liam, who is still sadly missed. Every year the family go to Inishbofin Island, off the coast of Mayo, for a long holiday. The house originally belonged to herContinue reading “Great Aunt Sally – ‘You’ll get no more sons from me’”
John Coyle – Chain smoking veteran who never spoke of war
Name of soldier : John Coyle Descendent : Gary Coyle Gary Coyle is an artist, originally from Dun Laoghaire and now living on Dublin’s Northside. He exhibits with the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery and was elected a member of artists body Aosdana in 2009. He was elected a member of the Royal Hibernia Academy in 2007.Continue reading “John Coyle – Chain smoking veteran who never spoke of war”
Christopher Mulligan – From Nelson Street to Second Ypres
Name of soldier : Christopher Mulligan Descendents : Stella Geragthy and her brother Aidan Maher Nelson Street is a small, narrow street linking Eccles Street with Berkeley Street on Dublin’s North city. It is named after the British naval hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, whose column adorned Dublin’s O’Connell Street before it was bombed in 1966.Continue reading “Christopher Mulligan – From Nelson Street to Second Ypres”
The Lion and the Shamrock 