The Great War

The First World War was known by many different names. For some it was the ‘1914-18 War’; the ‘Great War’; or the ‘Great War for Civilisation’. Whatever it was called, when it ended more than 20 million people were dead and much of Europe lay waste. Ireland saw more than 200,000 volunteer to serve for the British, while some 35,000 would never return. It is often said in Ireland that after the War, those who had fought returned to their homes and that there was a great silence. That wasn’t always the case, as this Limerick Leader report of November 1932 showed:

Tho first War Armistice was observed in customary fashion in Limerick yesterday. At 10.50 a.m., a special service was held in St. Mary's Protestant Cathedral, at which the Bishops of Limerick and Killaloe, end several of the clergy were present, and a crowded congregation, including a large number of ex-service men and representatives of the women’s section of the British Legion. The Church Lads' Brigade' and Girl Guides and Brownies were also present. The Last Post was sounded, after which came the two minutes silence, followed by the Reveille. The anthem was "O Rest In The Lord" and "The Souls of the Righteous." The preacher was the Rev. K. H. F. Campbell, M.A., late O F., Rector of St George's Church, Dublin, who also occupied the pulpit at the afternoon service, and made a touching appeal for funds for ex-servicemen suffering from unemployment, ill-health and poverty. The service closed with the  Benediction, pronounced by the Bishop of Limerick, after which "God Save Tho King" was sung.

Some hundreds of ex-servicemen attended a Requiem Mass at 12 o'clock in St. John's Cathedral. The Mass was celebrated by Rev. Father Rice, C.C. In the course of a brief sermon, the preacher exhorted the congregation to pray for their dead, and said the occasion was a very sad one for very many of them and brought back memories of departed relatives and friends whom they had held dear in life.

At the conclusion of the Mass the entire ex-servicemen, wearing their war decorations and headed by a band, marched to the Memorial Cross in Pery Square, where a lament was played and the Reveille sounded. Several wreaths were deposited at the base of Hie Memorial, and the ceremony having concluded, the men returned to the Legion Club, Hartstonge Street, where they were dismissed. The poppy was largely worn during the day, and there was no untoward incident.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )