Bandon War Memorial Committee
Events Printable Version
The
Committee, down through the years since its existence encourage
participation in events, projects and fact-finding trips to keep
the spirit of our forefathers alive in our hearts and minds.
All
local organisations take part in the St Patrick’s Day National
celebrations having a parade through Bandon. The Committee march behind our banner.
As
a number of our members are affiliated to the Royal Munster Fusiliers
Assoc., when they attend it’s A.G.M.s The 2001 meeting was held in
Tralee. Our group attended and was given a tour of Ballymullin
Barracks, Headquarters and Home to the R . M . F . Also the
graveyard near the Barracks was visited where serving soldiers of the
time were buried and is well maintained.
To
maintain local interest the group has visited Collins Barracks, Cork
Museum, Fort Berehaven, Castletownbere, Co. Cork and
Charlesfort, Kinsale which were occupied posts by British
Forces.
Remembrance
Day ceremony Nov. 2001 in Bandon began with Mass been
cerebrated in the Convent Chapel at 8.45 on the 10th
readings etc. with members participation. On Sunday the 11th
at 3 pm after a short parade to our Memorial Stone the ceremony
began with a welcome by our Chairman Michael Doyle, prayers
recited by the local clergy of all the churches role of honour
of soldiers died in both World Wars read out by six members.
The
central part of this ceremony was the recognition and remembrance
of the Holocaust, the suffering of those innocent peoples and
races [non-combatants] who died because of their religion,
ethnic difference in those world conflicts, Armenians,
Romany, and of course the Jewish people who suffered such a
terrible fate in Dachau , Auschwitz, Treblinka. Dare
we ever forget in this modern world and it is important to future
generations to do the same.
The
Bandon War Memorial Committee was honoured with the presence of
Rabbi Julia Neuberger at our ceremony this year and she planted a
Cedar tree as an act of a living symbolic representation to
those who died in the Holocaust adjacent to our Memorial Stone.
Rabbi
Neuberger is no stranger to Bandon She has a holiday home in
West Cork and is a well known contributor to religious and
public life in both Ireland and Britain.
The Last Post & Revallie was blown and the National Flag was raised, Sec. Billy Good thanked those who attended: Clergy, Readers, Wreath Layers, Buglers, Public Representatives including Chairman Town Commission, fellow Commissioners and local T.D. Jim O'Keeffe and those who took part, and brought the ceremony to a close.