The Curragh Military Cemetery

While travelling to the Curragh a few days ago,  it was early morning and the sun was rising, I stopped at the Curragh Military Cemetery – an old British Army Cemetery. The area is well maintained, with a few scattered trees and the cemetery is walled with stone. The site is an ideal one – nicely located on one of the many undulating hills on the Curragh of Kildare. What I would describe as a Lych-gate was erected at the entrance to the Cemetery and is dated VR 1869.

The Lych-gate entrance to the Curragh Military Cemetery dated VR 1869.

Lych-gates were / are a common feature in English cemeteries, basically it is a roofed gateway to a graveyard, formerly used at burials to shelter a coffin while awaiting the clergyman / clergywoman, the one at the Curragh Military Cemetery appears to have been built from limestone and granite and is well maintained and gated. There is a pedestrian entrance to the left of the lych-gate allowing access to the cemetery.

According to Matt McNamara’s Curragh Information Website it was on the 14th October 1869 that the Archbishop of Dublin, Richard Chenevix, Primate and Metropolitan of Ireland and Bishop of Glendalough and Kildare, issued the Act of Consecration for the burial-place of the military encampment of Her Majesty’s Forces stationed on the Curragh of Kildare. #2.

Military funerals continued at this location until c.1922 with all the ceremony that entailed. Military of all nations carry out these ceremonies very well – our Irish Military and the British Military are no exception to this.  I can picture the a military cortege, possibly led by a Military Band, alternatively a lone Soldier may have marked the burial with his trumpet or bugle, in the background the sound of the deceased comrades discarging a volley of rifle shots. Funerals of family members of serving soldiers who died would have been buried here also.

The Sun rising over the Curragh Military Cemetery

The Curragh Military Cemetery is located on the Eastern side of the Curragh Camp – very near Donnelly’s Hollow on one of the roads between The Curragh Camp and Newbridge as one would head for Walshestown Crossroads. This cemetery served the British Army when they were located in the Curragh Camp – a military establishment which is still used by the Irish Army to this day. However I understand that the cemetery has not been used for burials since the establishment of the Free State in 1922.

Records suggest that some 103 graves exist in this quiet location, while they are termed “War Graves” these are the last resting place of soldiers who died locally in an Army Barracks or in the Military Hospital.

The majority of the Headstones which I could read were dedicated to men who served in the armed forces, some who served in far off countries, most seem to be from Britain (England/Scotland/Wales), although there are some who appear to have Irish addresses. These soldiers’ headstones are functional in that they give the man’s serial number, name, regiment, along with date of death, in some cases their age, and occasionally some additional script, their regimental insignia or crest is also on these graves.

An example of one of these reads as follows:

TO THE MEMORY OF / JOHN STEPHEN GANDEE / (LATE BANDMASTER) / 1 ST BN THE PRINCE OF WALES’S / NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGT / WHO DIED 5TH DAY OF JANY / 1920 AGED 53 YEARS.
ERECTED BY THE OFFICERS. WO S / NCOS & MEN OF THE REGT.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

John Stephen Gandee (Service Number 6758), appears to have been born in 1867 to William & Margaret Gandee – possibly in India, where he served in the British Army (as did his father William), and was “Mentioned in Despatches” receiving a medal in 1898 – India 1895 2 bars Tirah (2/10/1897-6/4/1898) & Punjab Frontier (10/6/1897-6/4/1898). He was back in the UK for the 1901 census, and married Constance Garfield Lucas in 1907. In 1913 he was Bandmaster of the North Staffs Regt in Buttevant. Source: Soldiers-killed Website

Other Headstones I selected are:

650937 SERJEANT / J. MILLIGAN / ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY / 29 TH MARCH 1917 AGE 21. TIME ROLLS ON / BUT MEMORIES LINGER.

I found some other information about this young man – James Milligan, served in the Royal Field Artillery 325th Bty.  Born to William & Mary Milligan of Mid Murray, East Kilbride, Glasgow.  James is also commemorated on the East Kilbride Old Parish Church Memorial. Source: The Scottish War Memorials Project

Some headstones appear to be dedicated to family members and one which I noticed was inscribed thus:

IN AFFECTIONATE REMBERANCE OF / CATHERINE / THE DEARLY BELOVED WIFE OF / PETER ROGAN.
LATE SERGT MAJOR A.S.C / WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE 8TH NOVEMBER 1896 / AGED 38 YEARS / AND OF THEIR INFANT BABE MARY JOSEPHINE / WHO DIED 11TH SEPTEMBER 1894 / AGED 2 DAYS.
MOTHER AND SISTER OF / RT. REV. BISHOP PETER ROGAN C.B.E. / BISHOP OF NICIO/ R.I.P.

I found some other information about Catherine Rogan – she was born 1858, and was wife of Sergeant-Major Peter Rogan, Royal Army Service Corps. Source: Find a Grave Website

The photographs below show a selection of other memorials:

In relation to John Miller – he was the son of George and Kate Miller, of Maryland Point, Stratford, Essex; husband of Ellen Miller, of 3, Middlesex St., Holloway, London. Royal Field Artillery, transf. to (200438) 320th Home Service Coy. Labour Corps. Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission website

31509 GUNNER / J. MILLER / ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY / 30 TH OCTOBER 1917 AGE 33

IN / BELOVED MEMORY OF / MY HUSBAND / WILLIAM J. EVANS, D.C.M / QUARTER MASTER / 5TH LEINSTER REGIMENT. / DIED MAY 27TH 1916, / AGED 47 YEARS.

 

 

 

 

24746 PRIVATE / P. BYRNE / ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS / 6 TH FEBRUARY 1916 AGE 42

15143 PRIVATE / M. DALTON / ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS / 23 RD MAY 1916

 

 

 

Further information regarding 24746 Private Patrick Byrne  –  he was in the 5th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Patrick was born in Dublin and that is where he enlisted.  Source: Royal Dublin Fusiliers

Private Dalton was born 1887, he was in the 5th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Husband of Mrs. Anne Dalton, of Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow. Source: Find a Grave Website

Curragh Military Cemetery

Co. Kildare Online Electronic History Journal contains a very interesting account of the funeral of Cyril Alexander Gardner aged just 19 years of age who died accidentally while cleaning his captain’s revolver. Cyril was one of those buried in the Curragh Military Cemetery and was buried with full military honours. Read the full account at Co. Kildare Online Electronic History Journal

Curragh Military Cemetery

The cemetery is well maintained, and there is evidence that some family or other persons visit individual graves as floral tributes were evident at some graves, and the occasional poppy wreath. While there is evidence of damage to some of the headstones, the majority are in good condition – as befits a memorial ground where one respects the deceased.

May all who lie there Rest In Peace.

“You should respect death and respect the dead, not out of fear, but because it’s the proper human thing to do”  (Tom Jokinen)

Sunrise on the Curragh

Credits (where not acknowledged in the text):
#1. Matt McNamara’s Curragh Information Website lists a transcription of the headstones in the Curragh Military Cemetery which was carried out by Mick Dolan in 2003, he also compiled a list of family members, women and children connected with those graves. This list is an invaluable aid to anyone tracing their family roots and is available at: Curragh Information Website

#2. Matt McNamara’s Curragh Information Website

Photos in this blog are all by Author.