On Sunday 8th November at 3.00 p.m. St. Michael’s Cemetery
will once again be the scene for a commemoration service for men from Athy and
district who died in war. The service
will centre on the graves of six World War 1 soldiers who died at home before
the end of the Great War.
The Athy soldiers who are buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery include
John Lawler, aged 37 years of Ardreigh, who enlisted in the Royal Dublin
Fusiliers in 1899 and served in South Africa during the Boer War. John was married and his brother Edward who
survived the war later lived at No. 1 Dooley’s Terrace. Private Michael O’Brien of Meeting Lane, aged
27 years, was killed by a train at Carlow Railway Station. Martin Hayden of Offaly Street, aged 29 years,
was wounded in France and subsequently died in Cambridge Hospital. His remains were returned to Athy for
burial. He was survived by his widow and
family. James Dwyer, a native of
Rathangan, was living in Athy when he enlisted.
He died on 31st March 1918 aged 39 years. Thomas Flynn died at 28 years of age. He was son of James and Bridget Flynn of
Whitebog and was one of four brothers who fought in World War I. Michael Byrne, uncle of Mrs. Eileen McKenna,
died aged 27 years on 21st November 1918. He entered France on 19th December
1914 and survived the war only to die during the influenza epidemic ten days
after the ceasefire.
In this decade of commemoration when we are remembering events which
occurred on the island of Ireland 100 years ago it is equally important not to
overlook an earlier generation whose lives were lost to family and
friends. This year the Organisation of
National Ex-Service Men will play a significant part in the St. Michael’s
Cemetery commemoration. Their
participation is a clear indication of the changing attitudes in public opinion
insofar as it relates to World War I and Irishmen’s participation in that war.
With the departure of the Dominicans from Athy approaching fast I
was delighted to hear of the arrangements concluded with Kildare County Council
whereby the Council will acquire all of the Dominican holdings in Athy. The deconsecrated church, the Friary, the
halls, the car park and the grounds will be available as public amenities for
the people of Athy. Of particular
interest is that the church, which opened in 1965, will be developed as the
town’s library and as a concert hall.
This is wonderful news for Athy and the community’s thanks must go to
the Chief Executive Officer of Kildare County Council, Peter Carey, who
supported by the elected members of the Council concluded the deal with the
Dominican Order.
Fr. Gregory Carroll O.P., Prior Provincial of the Irish Dominicans,
and incidentally a native of Naas, came to Athy on Tuesday morning to make the
announcement regarding the arrangement with Kildare Co. Co. The Dominican Order, he said, was pleased
that the lands and buildings in which the friars carried out their ministry,
will be available as a public amenity for the people of Athy.
It is remarkable to think that the Dominican ministry started in
1257 and but for short periods during which they were exiled the Dominican
friars have been a constant presence in our town for almost 750 years. One of those friars was Fr. James Crotty,
born in New Ross in 1867 who following his ordination in Rome in 1891 returned
to Ireland to join the staff of Newbridge College. Nine years later he was appointed Prior of
the Dominican community in Athy.
In 1916 Fr. Crotty was appointed chaplain to the Irish prisoners in
German Prisoner of War camps. It was in
that capacity that the former Athy Prior met Athy men Michael Bowden and
Michael Byrne who had been captured following the Battle of Mons and imprisoned
in Limburg Prisoner of War Camp. Another
Athy man, Martin Maher, died in Limburg on 5th March 1915 from
wounds received in the Battle of Mons some months previously.
Michael Bowden, an Athy post man, was a married man with one child
when he enlisted at the start of the war.
Soon after he departed for France his second child was born. Sadly Michael Bowden was never to see his
wife or children following his capture as he died in Limburg on 27th
May 1918. The third Athy man, Michael
Byrne, who had worked as a gardener for local veterinary surgeon John Holland
of Model Farm also died in Limburg on 27th September 1918 just weeks
before the end of the war.
The former Athy Prior, Fr. Crotty, who was described by Roger Casement
as ‘a raging Fenian’, had a 10ft.
high Celtic cross erected in Limburg to commemorate the Irish prisoners who
died in the Prisoner of War camp.
The ministry of the Dominicans amongst Athy people was carried out
not just in the town of Athy over 750 years but in Fr. Crotty’s case in far
away Limburg during World War I. Sadly
three of the local men whom we will commemorate next Sunday died there and
today they lie in German soil.
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