NEWBRIDGE WAR MEMORIAL

Below are two articles fom the Kildare Observer relating to the erection of a War Memorial in Newbridge Cemetery in 1931. Thanks to Deirdre Twomey, who brought this to our attention while researching her Uncle Private William Wilmot who was killed on the 26th March 1916 in Ypres, Belgium. This eighty year old memorial to Newbridge men who lost their lives in the Great War is in need of restoration, and it is currently under consideration by the Monuments Committee of Kildare County Council. 

Kildare Observer, 7 September 1929

CORRESPONDENCE

NEWBRIDGE WAR MEMORIAL

Kildare Observer, 21 March 1931

NEWBRIDGE WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILING CEREMONY.

A procession was formed at the Legion Hall on St. Patrick’s Day and the members of the Legion, with band playing, marched in large number to the Newbridge Church where they attended High Mass which was celebrated by the Very Rev. Father Brophy, P.P.
After Mass the men formed up outside the Church marching to the New Cemetery with their band to assist in unveiling of the memorial to the members who had fallen in the Great War. The Dead March in Saul was played in their march to the New Cemetery, and approaching it the drums were muffled and the large body moved on then to the unveiling of the tablet which has been erected in the plot set apart for the ex-servicemen, which was afterwards unveiled by Lieutenant General Sir Edward Fanshawe, K.C.B., C.B.
General Sir E. Fanshawe, K.C.B., K.C.,V.O., who in a brief address spoke of the men who went voluntarily and gave the greatest thing a man can give, his life, for the liberties of small nations and other great things, and the relatives can now feel proud that this token of remembrance has been erected to the honour of God and the glory of man. In years to come when we have all passed away, some relatives and the descendants will look on those names and feel proud. He only hoped that those who had died were looking on and feeling pleasure that they were remembered here on this earth on that day by their relatives and friends. He then unveiled the memorial and this was followed by the wreaths by the relatives and the local branch of the Legion laying a beautiful wreath and also a choice of one from the women’s section and relatives.
The Last Post was then sounded by the buglers of the Legion. Then followed the silence of two minutes’ duration and reveille. By this time we noticed several of the women relatives were moved to tears, weeping silently.
The Rev. Father William Murphy, Killashee, who was an army chaplain during the Great War, carried out a short religious service. This completed the ceremony and the ex-servicemen marched back with their drums playing lively tunes through Newbridge to the Legion Club, where they were briefly addressed by Mr. Wilkinson, secretary of the Legion, who urged those ex-servicemen who are not members of the Legion to come forward and become members.
Amongst those present were:- The Very Rev. Father W. Murphy, Canon B. McLean, Rev. Canon O’Connor, Major J.J. Tynan, D.S.O., Capt. W. Redmond, D.S.O., T.D.;  Major H.A. Henry, Chairman, the local branch of Legion; Lady Goulding, Mrs. Henry, Miss Henry, The Misses O’Connor, The Rectory; Miss Violet Falkiner (Hon. Sec., Woman’s Section). Lady M. Greer, O.B.E., was represented.
The tablet is the work of Mr. P. Walsh, Newbridge. The men afterwards marched back to the Legion rooms, Newbridge, where they were briefly addressed by Mr. T. Wilkinson, Secretary of the Legion.