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, 20232 min read
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, 20234 min read
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, 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
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
Mar 1, 20234 min read
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, 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
Jan 22, 20232 min read
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, 20222 min read
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, 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
Jan 14, 20222 min read
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, 20214 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 20212 min read
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, 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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