Stephen Callaghan
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
- Aug 11
- 2 min
A Leinster Officer's grave - Reginald Barnewell
A recent eBay auction caught my eye, a photograph of a Leinster Regiment officer’s grave and a general view of the cemetery, somewhere in...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Aug 7
- 4 min
John Joseph Cannon, Leinster Regiment
Years ago I came into the procession of the medals of John Joseph Cannon, a soldier of the Leinster Regiment who fought during the Great...
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Stephen Callaghan
- May 20
- 4 min
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
- Mar 12
- 3 min
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
- Mar 1
- 4 min
Remembering Vol. John Gunning on the centenary of his death
Around 15 years ago, while going through burial records for Clonoghill Cemetery, Birr, I came across an entry for a “John Gunning”, what...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Jan 29
- 3 min
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
- Jan 22
- 2 min
A Letter to Rinagry, Ballina, County Mayo and its Sender
While browsing online auction sites, I came across an "On Active Service" envelope sent from Field Post Office H.12 by a soldier serving...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Sep 26, 2022
- 2 min
A Soldier's Spoon
Today we are going to look at what might initially look like an innocuous object, a spoon! However, this is no ordinary kitchen spoon, it...
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Stephen Callaghan
- May 2, 2022
- 3 min
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
- Jan 14, 2022
- 2 min
Private James Mooney from Birr, Offaly
The 17 January marks the 106th anniversary of the death of James Mooney, 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment. As it nears the anniversary of...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Nov 26, 2021
- 4 min
The Service of Captain Gilbert Powell 1913 - 1928
Countless times I have passed the grave of Capt. Gilbert Powell in Clonoghill Cemetery in Birr, County Offaly. Some brief attempts to...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Sep 24, 2021
- 2 min
A Great War ID Tag - Private Lawlor, Leinster Regiment
In a previous post we looked at an unofficially Great War era aluminum identity tag. Today we will take a look at an officially issued ID...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Aug 26, 2021
- 2 min
From the Big House to the Great War - Private Kelly of Lucan.
The 26 August 2021 marks 107 years since the death of Private William Kelly of Lucan, County Dublin. Today we will examine the life of...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Aug 20, 2021
- 2 min
Lance Corporal Albert Strong from Thomastown
The pictured pair of medals belong to Albert Ernest Strong, these were bought separately over a period of years, effectively reuniting...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Jul 10, 2021
- 2 min
Captain John Forrest Ruttledge MC
John Forrest Ruttledge was born in Birr on 1 August 1895. He was the oldest son of Colonel Alfred Ruttledge and May Ormsby Ruttledge (née...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Jul 2, 2021
- 2 min
Just a Victory Medal - Private Moloney
A few years ago I bought a cheaply priced Victory Medal to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the recipient was William Moloney. Some basic...
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Stephen Callaghan
- Jun 27, 2021
- 2 min
The story behind Private Hennessy's memorial plaque
A few years ago I was lucky to enough to be given the memorial plaque of Lance Corporal Patrick Andrew Hennessy from a relation of his....
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Stephen Callaghan
- Jun 13, 2021
- 2 min
John Perry of the Canadian Infantry
An interesting feature on certain memorials in cemeteries is the commemoration of relations who died in the First and Second World Wars....
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Stephen Callaghan
- Jun 6, 2021
- 3 min
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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