Louisburgh’s fallen remembered on Armistice Day

CENTENARY COMMEMORATION  On Sunday, the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, the annual Mayo Remembrance Mass, to remember all from Mayo who lost their lives in conflict, took place in St Patrick’s Church, Louisburgh.  Pic: Jimmy Corrigan

Edwin McGreal

Exactly 100 years to the day after the guns fell silent on the Western Front at the end of World War I, the town of Louisburgh played host to the 20th annual Mayo Remembrance Mass.
On the centenary of Armistice Day, the Mass remembered all those from Mayo who lost their lives in conflict, particularly on foreign fields.
Almost 1,200 people from Mayo were killed serving in World War I, under various flags, and a series of events took place throughout the county to mark the occasion.
The Remembrance Mass was started in November, 1999 by Castlebar man Michael Feeney and has been hosted in a variety of different parishes throughout the county every year since then.
At each Mass, names of local people who died in various conflicts are called out at the Mass and Sunday was no different in Louisburgh with the names of 12 people from the parish read out at the Mass in St Patrick’s Church, Louisburgh.
The service is spearheaded by Michael Feeney and his team at Mayo Peace Park. The Park, in Castlebar, opened in October 2008 and all the available names of those from Mayo killed in conflicts are inscribed there.
Sunday’s service was directed by Fr Mattie Long and Donna Michelle Mac Suibhne was the Mass co-ordinator. The Mass recalled the twelve people from the area who lost their lives in conflicts around the world, eight of whom perished in World War I.
The 25th Mayo Louisburgh Scouts provided support as did the local choir. Also assisting were members of Mayo Peace Park and several local people.
The Mass took place at 11.30am in Louisburgh and was preceded by a ceremony at Mayo Peace Park in Castlebar, as well as services throughout the county.
“We were very happy with both the service in Castlebar and the Mass in Louisburgh,” Michael Feeney told The Mayo News. “A very large crowd turned up in Castlebar, the biggest we’ve had. I guess the fact that Armistice Day fell on a Sunday combined with it being the 100th anniversary were significant factors. The Mass in Louisburgh was excellent. All who contributed did a wonderful job,” Mr Feeney added.
The following natives of Louisburgh who died in World War I and World War II were remembered at Sunday’s Mass:

World War I
LCpl Thomas Nicholas Burke, 1st Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers, died September 9, 1916;
Pte Charles O’Malley, 78th Bn Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Reg), died November 17, 1918;
Gdsn Patrick Duggan, 1st Bn Irish Guards, died September 25, 1916;
Pte Charles O’Malley, Canadian Infantry Quebec Regiment 24th Bn, died November 5, 1917;
Pte Michael Lyons, 356th Inf Company K 89th Division, died November 1, 1918;
Sgt Patrick J Heneghan, 101st Inf 26th Division – US Army, died September 22, 1918;
Pte Michael Garrivan, Co G 103th Inf Rgt – US Army, died November 11, 1918;
Pte Patrick J Gallagher, Co 1 39th Inf 4th Division US Army, died October 11, 1918.

World War II:
Lnc Bombardier Daniel Stokes, Royal Artillery, died March 18, 1941;
Sgt John James Salmon, RAFVR, died June 18, 1944.
Civilians from Louisburgh killed in World War II:
Rev Father John Heneghan, Columban Fathers, died in Manilla, February 2, 1945; Margaret Duffy, Fire Guard, killed in bombing blitz, London, July 28, 1941.