Royal Munster Fusiliers Association

2nd July 2007: Lord Dunraven. Name Restored to the Roll of Honorary Freedom of Limerick

At the Monthly Meeting of Limerick City Council on Monday, 28th May, 2007, Cllr.Kieran Walsh submitted the following Notice of Motion: �That the decision of the City Council of the 2nd of May, 1918, to the effect that the name of Lord Dunraven be erased and struck off the Roll of Freemen of the City, be revoked�. It was agreed to defer consideration of this motion to a Protocol Committee Meeting of the City Council. The Royal Munster Fusiliers Association (1992) is pleased to advise that, as and from the 2nd July 2007, Lord Dunraven, who was the Honorary Colonel of the 5th Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers has had his name restored to the Roll. Lord Dunraven's name will be added to future publications by the council appertaining to the Honorary Roll of the Freedom of Limerick City.

Credit is due to Cllr.Kieran Walsh, Limerick City Council; Dr Matthew Potter, University of Limerick; Mr Liam Irwin, Head, History Department, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick; and to Mr Tadgh Moloney M.A for the successful achievement of this endeavour.

Schull Books, Ballydehob, Co Cork. Tel and Fax: 028 37317 - International + 353 28 37317:

Schull Books, Ballydehob, Co Cork. Ireland's ONLY military booksellers & book search service. If you want a book and can't find it, we usually can and we don't charge for the search. A few disbanded Irish Regiments histories available at half price to RMFA members (Royal Irish - 18th Foot; Leinsters, Dubs & Connaught Rangers only). Email [email protected]

On Sunday 19th November 2006, two members of the Association as part of the Friends of the Celtic Cross at Limburg visited and participated in a ceremony where the cross is located in Germany. This cross is dedicated to forty five Irish soldiers who died during world war one while they were prisoners of war in Limburg and is located in what is left of where a very large prisoner of war camp existed. Our members presented a cheque for 10,000 (Ten Thousand Euro) to our German friends who are involved in the restoration of the cross. The Friends of the Celtic Cross at Limburg are most grateful to the following who donated money towards its restoration; The Department of an Taoiseach, Royal Munster Fusiliers Association, The Bandon War Memorial Committee, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Regimental Association, Ballymena & Limavady Branches, Northern Ireland, Irish Guards, Scots Guards, The Connaught Rangers Association and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association, Sir Tom Barlow, Great Britain, Ann Allridge, Waterford and Michael Lee, Dublin.

Remembrance Services 2006:

On Sunday 4 November 2006, members of the Association participated in a Remembrance Day service that took place in St. Mary�s Cathedral, Bridge Street, Limerick. On Saturday 11 November 2022 the Association was represented at the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Memorial gardens in Islandbridge, Dublin by the Hon. Secretary, Tadhg Moloney, who laid a wreath. The following day Sunday 12 November 2022 the Association participated in the Remembrance Day ceremony at the War Memorial, Pery Square, Limerick, where a wreath was laid and also on behalf of Mr Bill Norris of Limavady, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland and thence marched to mass, which took place in St. Joseph�s Church, O�Connell Avenue, Limerick. Members of the Association also participated in ceremonies at Cork and Limavady, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland where a wreath was laid on behalf of the Association by Mr Bill Norris of the Limavady Branch of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Regimental Association.

RMFA Annual General Meeting 2006:

The Annual General Meeting of the Royal Munster Fusiliers Association will take place in the Munster Arms Hotel, Bandon, County Cork on Saturday 27 May 2023 at 3 pm.

5th May 2006: The RMFA recently applied to the Irish Government for a grant to help defray expenses that our association incurs in many of its schemes concerning inter-community co-operation. In his reply, the government official said that he required that the RMFA provide him with the name of a project that we felt worthy of government support. Our committee decided unanimously that our first priority should be to refurbish the memorial Celtic Cross at the former German prisoner of war camp at Limburg. (see Anthony O'Brien's article, autumn 2000). There were some 2,000 Irishmen at one time interned at Limburg out of a total 12,000 allied POW's. The remains of the British dead were later re-interred in other military cemeteries, thus releasing the Commonwealth War Graves Commission of any responsibility towards the memorial - we are determined that it be not abandoned. Local Germans have in the past taken it upon themselves to maintain the memorial and we really should be grateful for that, but it is only fair that we also should do our bit towards the upkeep of the cross. We were delighted with the following reply our Secretary received from the Office of the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) 21 March 2006: 'Thank you for your correspondence in connection with funding, under the Commemoration Initiatives Fund, for your proposed projects, involving the restoration of the Celtic Cross in Limburg, Germany and the expansion of the Association's lecture series. I am pleased to award you a grant of 5,000 Euro towards the restoration of the Celtic Cross in Limburg. An official from my Department will be in contact with you directly regarding details of payment. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you every success with your endeavours'. We are extremely grateful to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern for his response to our correspondences and he can be assured that the monies granted to us will be used most efficiently. If anyone is interested in making a financial contribution towards the renovation they may send their donation to The Limburg Memorial Fund, Ulster Bank, Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick. Sort Code 986025 - Account Number 30628052.

15th February 2006: Congratulations to MajorJ.M. MacLeod, Chairman of the Combined Irish Regiments Association and a member of the RMFA who was awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours list.

On Remembrance Sunday 13th November 2005 at the War Memorial, Pery Square, Limerick, two wreaths were laid to the memory of the men of the Royal Munster Fusiliers who died during the First World War. Mr John Moore, on behalf of the RMFA laid one and Mr Gordon Spillane on behalf of Mr William A. Norris, Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in memory of the Royal Munster Fusiliers laid the other. Mr William A. Norris as he has done for years also laid a wreath on behalf of the Association at the War Memorial, Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

At the Remembrance Day ceremony that took place in London on Sunday 13th November 2005, a wreath was laid by the Secretary of the Royal Munster Fusiliers Association Mr Tadhg Moloney, at the Cenotaph, Whitehall, in memory of the men of the regiment who for so long were denied proper recognition and honour. The Secretary also met relatives of Private Patrick Joseph Downey, 6th Bn., Leinster Regiment, aged 19, executed on Monday 27th December 1915. Son of Michael and Mary A. Downey, 1 Kellys Range, Vizes Fields, Limerick. The Royal Munster Fusiliers Association has since its commencement actively supported the Shot at Dawn Campaign in its efforts to have the 306 British and Commonwealth soldiers executed for military offences during world war one (26 of whom were Irish born) pardoned.

On Friday the 11th November 2005 at Ieper (Ypres), Belgium, which in addition to being Armistice Day is a public holiday, the Irish Ambassador laid a wreath at the Menin Gate in honour and remembrance of all Irishmen who died during World War One. Also in London, England on Sunday the 13th November 2005, the Irish Ambassador was present during the Remembrance Day ceremony at Whitehall.

On 30 September 2005, the Chairperson Mr Gordon Spillane who carried the Association Colour,and Secretary Tadhg Moloney,travelled to Tipperary town to participate in the unveiling of the Tipperary Memorial Arch, which is located on the grounds of the military barracks. Present at the ceremony were the Military Attaches from various countries such as America Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand and Ambassadors who laid wreaths. This memorial was refurbished from an arch that is all that is left of the Officer�s Mess at the barracks. It is dedicated to the men and women from the locality who died during two world wars and other conflicts since then, irrespective of the army that they served with. The President of Ireland Mary McAlesse who also attended unveiled the memorial.

Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers:

We send warm fraternal greetings to our friends and associates in the various branches of the "Skins", and especially those in Limavady and Ballymena. We follow with great interest your activities and really enjoyed receiving your most recent Newsletter, for which we must thank Mrs. B. Gallagher of Portrush.

War Memorials:

We await news from our delegate in Cork regarding the refurbishment of the memorial on the South Mall in Cork. We are however aware that there was a change to the design plan but we hope that all will be ready soon and a date for the unveiling ceremony can be set. It is shocking that the old obelisk, which stood for so long on the original site was recently vandalised by having graffiti sprayed on it  - a sign of the times. Tipperary Barracks  -  The last remaining portico, (all that remains of the officer's mess), in what was arguably the finest barracks in Ireland, is to be preserved. Regrettably, the barracks suffered the same fate as other barracks during the civil war in Ireland - being burned to the ground  -  after it had served as a stronghold for irregular troops opposed to the newly formed Irish government. The government troops were at that time too few to hold the many barracks throughout the land and these fell easy prey to marauding bands of guerrillas. Burn everything English, except their coal, was the cry. The local council later distributed some of the remaining masonry to various religious convents and churches throughout Tipperary. The loss of this collection of buildings greatly impoverished, architecturally, the town of Tipperary and it is interesting to note that one of the other more impressive buildings in the town is the former R.I.C. barracks. So, it may be that with a sense of fond nostalgia and regret the town fathers wish to honour the memory of the old barracks by preserving the little arch that has stood so forlornly down through the years.

We would like to thank again those members who have in the past laid wreaths at the many war memorials through out Europe on behalf of the RMFA (a special mention here of Mr Peter Mulvany). Indeed it must be said that on many occasions this was done at the member's own expense without any prompting from the committee.This in turn has enabled the Royal Munster Fusiliers Association to be represented in such out-of the-way places as the former Yugoslavia, and other sites, away from the well-trodden pilgrim roads. Mention must also be made here of those who have so generously sent donations for the running of the RMFA.Your generosity has helped greatly to ease the burden of administration costs on us - an ongoing struggle

New Book:

It gives us great pleasure to announce the launch of a new book called "Heroic Option: The Irish in the British Army". The book is by Desmond and Jean Bowen (Desmond died before the book's completion) both were early members of the RMFA.

VE Day:

Ceremony to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the victory in Europe will be held in Shandon parish church, Cork, on Sunday 26 June 2023 at 3pm. All members of the public are most welcome to attend.

Journal:

Please ensure that articles for the 2005 autumn journal are posted early.

Bandon War Memorial Committee:

The Committee launched a book called A Journey of Remembrance: "walks in the footsteps of Bandon soldiers" at the Munster Arms Hotel, Bandon, on March 31 at 8pm.

Michael Kearney MBE:

Congratulations to Mr Michael Kearney who was awarded the MBE by HM the Queen at Buckingham palace on June 12 2004. The award was given in recognition of his service to the Royal Irish Fusiliers Old Comrades Association and associate charities (he is also a member of the Royal Munster Fusiliers Association). The RMFA received much encouragement and support from Michael in the early stages of its formation (1992) when we were, as one might say, alone in uncharted waters. It is very nice that his work both within and outside his organisation has been recognised.

� Deaths:

It is with great sadness that we report the deaths in 2004 of two of our members, both of whom were WWII veterans.Basil Baker (North Irish Horse) was a staunch supporter of his Old Comrades Association who, in spite of his eighty-odd years, travelled the length and breadth of the country during remembrance tide laying his wreath on behalf of the N1H. It was amusing that Basil would later collect his wreath from the memorial and travel on to the next venue to pay tribute, yet again, to the fallen. Although some of us were in the know, nevertheless his dedication and sincerity was an example to us all. He was a most likeable old gentleman and will be sadly missed. Major J. Nixon (South Staffs. Rgt.) Secretary of the Cork Branch of The Royal British Legion, worked tirelessly for the branch while in office. It is a great tribute to his energy that the Cork War Memorial fund made such good progress under his stewardship. His fine soldierly bearing, coupled with a commanding presence and a keen intellect impressed all who were privileged to know and work with him.

� MAY THEY BOTH REST IN PEACE�