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Just picked up this nice photo on ebay, it's an original press photo from around 1940.
The caption on the back reads,
"Fighting Irish--1940
Blarney, Ireland...in the south of Ireland there is Eire's own army, made up of regulars and part time guards and armed solely from their own resources and without dependence on England. These soldiers marching along the road even wear German type helmets. The army is a peoples army, mustered to preserve Eire's edict---strict neutrality. It has established a formidable system of defenses, meanwhile turning down all pleas for cooperation with Britain."
As I look gain at the photo I notice some thing on your fathers left shoulder..is this damage to the photo...or is a badge?
May I ask if your father is still living?and did he emigrate from Waterford or was it you who did?...just interested to know...being from Waterford myself.
It's definitely a badge but I have no idea what it represents, I'll be back home in a couple of weeks so I can try to find out more about the photo from my dad who still lives in Waterford.
As I look gain at the photo I notice some thing on your fathers left shoulder..is this damage to the photo...or is a badge?
May I ask if your father is still living?and did he emigrate from Waterford or was it you who did?...just interested to know...being from Waterford myself.
I wonder have you an adress for the Clooney family mentioned above as I was in school with a Tommy Cloooney during the 1980s..and there was another Clooney family in Philip street.
The Tommy Clooney in the photo lived on the Cork Road, I don't know the other Clooneys you mentioned, the next time I see my cousin I'll ask if he has any relatives by that name. A few years ago his mother, who's maiden name was Clooney, was presented with a painting of "Captain Clooneys Charge" by a group from the USA.
The first picture is definetely taken under the arch in Waterford Military bks..walked through it often enough. The building visble outside was later the 'Radio Bar'
Its on Barrack street and was adjoining the Christian Brothers School. Most of the barracks was sold off to the corporation for rebuilding as affordable housing but the frontage and the square remain intact.
I wonder have you an adress for the Clooney family mentioned above as I was in school with a Tommy Cloooney during the 1980s..and there was another Clooney family in Philip street.
TF Meagher was born in the building that is now the Granville hotel on the Quay in Waterford and there is a monumant to him there.
Meaghers regiment the fighting 69th in the past sent greetings to what was 'D' Coy 9th inf bn in waterford every year up to the mid sixties becuse of the connection...and ironically Martin Cullen T.D was one of those who greeted them home from Iraq last year....a point lost on those not from Waterford..not sure did he serve with the FCA though lol.
Another old photo from Waterford, taken in 1942. It belongs to one of my cousins, the man in the uniform is his grandfather, Tommy Clooney. According to my cousin, his grandfathers great grandfather was a Captain Patrick Clooney who died at the Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War.
"Meagher rode up and down the lines, shouting encouragement to his men. Forty minutes went by as the Brigade fought the battle alone. Captain Clooney with the 88th Company E urged his men to aim low. His voice carried clearly to the regiment, over the noise of battle. Suddenly, a rebel bullet smashed his knee. Clooney fell, then struggled back up, using his sword as a crutch. His men urged him to go to the rear. In agony, he continued to shout encouragement to his men. Then another Confederate ball hit him passing through his body. Clooney fell dead, shocking the brave men in his regiment who thought him under special Papal protection. He lay still, the green plume in his hat blowing gently in the breeze." http://www.genealogyforum.com/gfaol/...tary/Irish.htm
Here's another photo of Cobh, from what I can gather on Google the ship is HMS Diamond, which was built in 1931. She was later sunk by Stukas in 1941 with the loss of 148 men during the evacuation of Crete.
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