The Kilkenny great war memorial committee will host a commemoration ceremony at Mac Donagh junction this Sunday June 9.
The event will be held to remember all those who fought , died and survived in World War ll.
In particular, it will commemorate D Day, the name that was given to the June 6, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France by troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries during World War II. France at the time was occupied by the armies of Nazi Germany, and the amphibious assault—codenamed Operation Overlord—landed some 156,000 Allied soldiers on the beaches of Normandy by the end of the day.
Despite their success, some 4,000 Allied troops were killed by German soldiers defending the beaches. At the time, the D-Day invasion was the largest naval, air and land operation in history, and within a few days about 326,000 troops, more than 50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment had landed. By August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and in spring of 1945 the Allies had defeated the Germans. Historians often refer to D-Day as the beginning of the end of World War II.
Sunday will see the Kilkenny men and women, connected with the war remembered.
Mac Donagh train station which is named in honour of Thomas Mac Donagh, was opened in 1848 and from the beginning was closely connected with providing security to the nearby military barracks. The barracks itself was built between 1801 and 1803 as a direct result of the 1798 rebellion.
The train station was used extensively to transport troops to conflicts such as the Crimean War 1854/1856, the Anglo Boer war 1899/1902 and the Great War 1914/1918. Many thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, nurses, chaplains departed from this station to partake in the great uncertainty of war.
During the Great War over three thousand men and women from Kilkenny City and County enlisted and filtered through this railway station to the great unknown.
The young men going to war were filled with bravado, enthusiasm and excitement as they prepared to depart. At that time this small station, comprising of four lines, became a bustling mass of heaving humanity.
Bands played, flags waved as family and friends gathered. A cacophony of chaotic noise reverberated. But in the midst of the revelry parents and sweethearts were in a fretful quandary. Aware that this could be the last time they would ever see their loved ones, tears mingled with the parting hugs and kisses. For many there would not be a return journey.
These young men were leaving their homeland to fight in foreign places with strange sounding names. Names, that families at home, located on maps and this knowledge helped to maintain a sense of unity. And the frequent use of these names helped them become part of family life.
The World War ll re-enactment display and commemoration event takes place on Sunday June 9th at MacDonagh railway station. Re-enactment from 3pm to 6 with ceremony beginning at 4.15 sharp. This is a free event and all are welcome
We wish to thank Claire Stack, Cobh animation team for photos in this article which she shot in 2018.
