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Stephen Callaghan
Mar 16, 20242 min read
A forgotten Casualty of the 3rd Leinsters - Private John Moran
In the military cemetery located in Crinkill, just outside Birr, there is a memorial commemorating the death casualties of the...
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Stephen Callaghan
Nov 10, 20233 min read
A silver shooting medal to Herbert John Snelling Ashdown, Leinster Regiment
Recently a shooting medal appeared online, the medal had been awarded for coming second place and given to Colour Sergeant H Ashdown, 1st...
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Stephen Callaghan
May 20, 20234 min read
Tracing the Story Behind a Photo - Jim O'Brien DCM
The following article appearing in a previous edition of the genealogical magazine, Irish Lives Remembered. Online auction sites are full...
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Stephen Callaghan
May 5, 20232 min read
Private McKinley and the 1902 Coronation
When searching for the next medal to buy, it can be easy to overlook damaged medals as not worth buying. A while back I purchased one...
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Stephen Callaghan
Mar 12, 20233 min read
The Story behind a Silver War Badge - Joseph Newell
Recently, I came across the following badge, known as a Silver War Badge (or often incorrectly as the Silver Wound Badge), the badge was...
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Stephen Callaghan
Jan 29, 20233 min read
Boer War and Great War Veteran Thomas Hickey
Thomas Hickey was born on Bury Quay, Tullamore, King’s County on 24 January 1875. He was the son of Michael Hickey and Mary Hickey (Nee...
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Stephen Callaghan
May 2, 20223 min read
Patrick Burke of Moorpark, Birr
Patrick Burke was born at Moorpark, Parsonstown, King’s County on 13 March 1881. He was the son of William Burke and Rosanna Burke (nee...
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Stephen Callaghan
Oct 18, 20212 min read
The Tragic End of Private Burke, Leinster Regiment
Today’s blog post came about via a brief newspaper article from November 1901 detailing the suicide of a soldier of the Leinster...
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Stephen Callaghan
Jun 6, 20213 min read
The Ennis brothers of Stoneybatter, Dublin
On my last visit to Grangegorman Military Cemetery, my attention was caught by the headstone of John Ennis of Stoneybatter, Dublin. The...
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Stephen Callaghan
May 14, 20212 min read
The Service of Private Michael Henry, Leinster Regiment
A familiar stretch of road to me is the Tullamore - Birr road, which I’ve been on countless times. Passing by Eglish I always catch...
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Stephen Callaghan
Mar 27, 20213 min read
The Military Service of the Stephens of Ferbane, County Offaly
Recently a friend linked me to some medals for sale, the group consisted of the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and Victory Medal. The...
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Stephen Callaghan
Feb 12, 20212 min read
A King's County Gentleman - Andrew Acres Stoney
Andrew Acres Stoney was born in Frankford (Kilcormac), King’s County (County Offaly) on 8 October 1879. He was the only surviving son of...
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Stephen Callaghan
Jan 15, 20213 min read
Solving the Mystery of James Flynn
My early days of researching soldier’s in Birr began with spending countless hours wandering around Clonoghill Cemetery, which is just a...
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Stephen Callaghan
Jul 31, 20202 min read
A Souvenir of the Boer War
The Second Anglo Boer War broke out in October 1899. The conflict arose after the British ignored an ultimatum issued by the Boers about...
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Stephen Callaghan
Jul 24, 20202 min read
Hidden in a Drawer – Private Ernest Charles Watts, Hampshire Regiment
Over a decade ago, an uncle of mine was renovating a cottage he bought. It was cluttered with various things which needed to be sorted or...
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Stephen Callaghan
Jun 26, 20204 min read
The Great War and the McDonalds of Birr, County Offaly
A few years ago I came across a single 1914-15 Star awarded to Private Frederick McDonald of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling...
71 views0 comments
Stephen Callaghan
May 9, 20203 min read
The Gallagher’s of Birr, County Offaly – Three Generations at War
While casually browsing the 1901 or 1911 census it is possible to pick up on interesting or peculiar facts about different families...
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