war – One Irish Rover – Northern Ireland, bringing history to life

Faces of the Somme, 1st July 1916

The Somme offensive in 1916 was one of the biggest and bloodiest battles of the First World War. With well over one million casualties and 300,000 fatalities, the five-month battle finally came to an...

World War One Letter – William Caldwell of Garvagh

I trust that you are all keeping well and staying safe in these difficult times. Apologies to those who I have not had a chance to respond to in email. I am a little behind. This year, when...

WB Yeats – An Irish Airman Foresees his Death

At the end of last year, I was trying to enhance an old photo of Joseph Bamford's store, at the Arcade, in Kilrea. The photograph was taken over a hundred years ago. It was of very poor quality,...

Christmas Day at the Front

UPDATE - I would like to wish all the readers of One Irish Rover, a wonderful Christmas. It's been a mad two years on this planet. But love, kindness, goodness, tolerance, always wins out in the...

September 1914, Outbreak War, Fleeing Paris for Bellaghy

Quick update. Apologies, I am three weeks behind in emails and responding to comments. Thank you all so much for your kindness re Tiger. I don't believe that I have encountered so many messages,...

Poem about the Somme – The Wounded Soldiers

Portglenone poet remembers locals who fought in World War One at the Somme, Flanders and Verdun.

About One Irish Rover

One Irish Rover focuses on the history and the people of the area in Northern Ireland where I grew up i.e. the Portglenone, Kilrea, Maghera and Tamlaght areas, in Counties Derry and Antrim.

My mother took many photos and saved lots of old newspaper cuttings. Many of these appear on this website.

I love to delve through old newspapers, discovering and piecing together local stories. You will find originally researched articles on this website, that aren't available elsewhere. Indeed, many of the old events have been pieced together, using various resources, and are now only being told fully for the first time.

I am also delighted to receive old photos, and stories. Feel free to drop me a line, via the Contact link (in the MENU above). Thanks for all your contributions.