Remembrance

50,ooo Irishmen enlisted during the First World War. For reasons that are profound, complicated and many, on their return they were at best ignored, and at worst vilified. This is the first year that their contribution has been recognised, and recognised with pride. Remembrance services have been held all over the country and an Irish representative of the Government laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in London.

Here in a small but much visited graveyard of an ancient ruined church, I have often wondered about the smartly carved military memorial which somehow seemed unusual amongst the higgeldy piggeldy stones with no names and big vaulted family tombs. This week a remembrance service was held in honour of Michael O Neill and a wreath of poppies laid at his grave - the first time I have ever seen poppies here. His is of course a sad story though. He joined the Grenadier Guards and in 1918 was injured and sent home only to die four days before the end of the war, not from his wounds but from Spanish 'Flu. Even in this remote spot, he has not been forgotten.