In Kilkenny’s MacDonagh railway station, and at The Peace Park on the River Nore, Kilkenny folk who fought and died in WWI are remembered. The Kilkenny Great War Memorial committee was founded in 2011 to promote and honour the memory of over 800 Kilkenny men and women who gave their lives in WWI for the cause of freedom in Europe. The bloody war would last from 1914 to 1918. The memorial, now a major tourist attraction, was unveiled at the Peace Park in 2018.
All parishes
3,300 men and women from county Kilkenny known to have served in World War I are listed. Over eight hundred of these soldiers died during the conflict. These numbers include representatives from almost every parish in county Kilkenny.
On Sunday November 9th at 3pm, a ceremony will be held at the memorial in memory of those who fell in the Great war. The ceremony will allow Kilkenny people to reflect on Kilkenny’s connection to The Great War to remind ourselves of the bravery, heroism and sacrifice of fondly remembered family and friends, whose actions still resonate.
Armistice on the Western Front
On November 11, 1918, after more than four years of horrific fighting and the loss of millions of lives, the guns on the Western Front fell silent. Although fighting continued elsewhere, the armistice between Germany and the Allies was the first step to ending World War I. The global reaction was one of mixed emotions: relief, celebration, disbelief and a profound sense of loss.
The words of Robert Casey, Battery C 124th Field Artillery Regiment, on November 11 1918 seem apt. “And this is the end of it. In three hours the war will be over. It seems incredible even as I write it. I suppose I ought to be thrilled and cheering. Instead I am merely apathetic and incredulous … There is some cheering across the river—occasional bursts of it as the news is carried to the advanced lines. For the most part, though, we are in silence … With all is a feeling that it can’t be true. For months we have slept under the guns… We cannot comprehend the stillness.”
The Kilkenny Great War Memorial committee extend a welcome to locals and visitors to attend the ceremony which will include prayer, poetry, music, wreath laying and reflection.
