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 the …
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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, and …
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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, …
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Poem about the Somme – The Wounded Soldiers
Here's a wonderful old poem that was submitted to the Ballymena Observer in September 1923. The poem was by a Portglenone person, and referenced local friends who fell in the great war. It’s …
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