Over 200,000 Irish men fought with the British Army in the Great War, 30,000 of these men
never returned home. Most were never repatriated and were buried thousands of miles away
from home. Some didn’t get that privilege as their bodies were never found. Why did these
Irish men join the British Army? What happened to them once they left Ireland?
Following the 1916 Rising the tide of opinion went against these men. The fact that they were
British Soldiers was sometimes regarded as shameful by their families. Their time as a soldier
was veiled in secrecy and not discussed openly. As a result many of their descendants did not
realize that they had a relation who fought in the Great War.
James O’ Connor was a Cork man who was called to the Colours in August 1914. He nearly
made it to the end of the war but died on the battle fields of France in 1918. His family did
not know why he joined the British Army or where he was buried. Through research his
grandniece followed his journey once he left Ireland to when he finally died. This research
wasn’t always easy as life events got in the way on many occasions including a personal
battle with cancer. This is an emotional journey which uses one man’s details to understand
the lives these soldiers led and to pay tribute to their sacrifice.
never returned home. Most were never repatriated and were buried thousands of miles away
from home. Some didn’t get that privilege as their bodies were never found. Why did these
Irish men join the British Army? What happened to them once they left Ireland?
Following the 1916 Rising the tide of opinion went against these men. The fact that they were
British Soldiers was sometimes regarded as shameful by their families. Their time as a soldier
was veiled in secrecy and not discussed openly. As a result many of their descendants did not
realize that they had a relation who fought in the Great War.
James O’ Connor was a Cork man who was called to the Colours in August 1914. He nearly
made it to the end of the war but died on the battle fields of France in 1918. His family did
not know why he joined the British Army or where he was buried. Through research his
grandniece followed his journey once he left Ireland to when he finally died. This research
wasn’t always easy as life events got in the way on many occasions including a personal
battle with cancer. This is an emotional journey which uses one man’s details to understand
the lives these soldiers led and to pay tribute to their sacrifice.
