This year, Shinrone Heritage Group was lucky to secure funding from the Heritage Council to record the memorials of St Mary’s graveyard, Shinrone, Offaly. It was great being involved with the recording of the memorials, and I am always keen to become familiar with new graveyards, and the memorials they contain.
During the course of transcribing the memorials, a modern headstone caught my attention, as it was the final resting place of a World War One veteran. The inscription on the memorial reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
BRIGIT QUIRKE
4 ST MARY’S TERRACE
DIED 16TH SEPT 1978
AGED 67 YEARS
HER HUSBAND WILLIAM
DIED 11TH OCT 1984
AGED 88 YEARS
VETERAN OF WW1
THEIR DAUGHTER
NORA (NOREEN) CONNOLLY
DIED 19TH OCT 2021
AGED 80 YEARS
William Quirke, who died on 11 October 1984, is recorded as a ‘veteran of WW1’. What was his experience of WW1?
Digging deeper reveals, the following about William. Born on 7 March 1896. He was the son of James Quirke and Eliza Quirke (Nee Condron). The 1901 census records a 5 year old William living with his parents and eight siblings in house number 23, Cloughmoyle, Shinrone.
Further during the 1911 census the family is recorded as living in house number 3 in Shinrone town. Both parents with five children, including a 15 year old William, who is recorded as a ‘scholar’.
During the First World War, William enlisted in the 7th (Service) Battalion, Leinster Regiment. The battalion was raised in October 1915, as part of Kitchener’s New Armies. Private Quirke served with the 7th Leinsters, from 16 January 1916 until 9 May 1919. During his war service he was wounded on 2 August 1917, with a shrapnel wound to the neck.
William reenlisted on 9 March 1919, for further service with the regiment, reenlisting at Wermelskirchen, Germany. William remained with the Leinster Regiment until 31 March 1922, when he was discharged. He received a pension for his war service.
William returned to Shinrone. He married Bridget Rourke on 23 April 1941 in the Roman Catholic church in Lusmagh. They lived in Shinrone for the rest of their lives.
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