By Lar Joye Since Greek and Roman times armies have displayed captured weapons and flags as a way of celebrating their success. In Ireland we see examples of this in the form of captured Russian cannons on display outside courthouses in Ennis and Tralee. After the Crimean War (1853–6) 21 captured cannons were gifted to … Read more
The Irish War Hospital Supply Organisation. By Monika Barget, Pádraig MacCarron and Susan Schreibman On 28 February 1919 the Irish war hospital depot in Dublin closed its doors. This voluntary organisation, mostly run, staffed and funded by women, played a significant role in the vast supply chain of goods shipped overseas to hospitals, sending much-needed … Read more
By Lar Joye The United States of America entered the war on 6 April 1917, and by the summer of 1918 over two million American soldiers had landed in Europe. The 69th Regiment, whose regimental motto was ‘Gentle When Stroked, Fierce When Provoked’ and who had earned the nickname the ‘Fighting Irish’ during the American … Read more
Armistice Days in Dublin as viewed by ex-members of the Irish command of WAAC/QMAAC 1917–19. By Barbara Walsh On 11 November 1924, four young Irishwomen carrying a wreath headed for College Green in Dublin to attend a Great War Armistice Day ceremony. One wore her First World War army uniform. All were former members of … Read more
What sort of world did the ending of the First World War bring into being? By John Horne At 11am on 11 November 1918, the guns fell silent along the Western Front. The noise, continuous since late 1914, was said to have been the loudest ever made by humans. Now weary soldiers simply shook hands. … Read more