THE countless lives lost in the most brutal and futile battles of the First World War — the Battle of the Somme — will be honoured in Limerick during centenary of the infamous military offensive.
THE countless lives lost in the most brutal and futile battles of the First World War — the Battle of the Somme — will be honoured in Limerick during centenary of the infamous military offensive.On Thursday June 30, the eve of the Battle of the Somme, the local branch of the Royal British Legion with Irish ex-service organisations will gather at the Limerick War memorial in Pery Square, where a ceremonial candle will be lit, followed by a symbolic vigil, ending with reflective readings and prayer.
To commemorate the centenary of the start of this bloodiest of battles, churches have been invited to toll a funeral bell for ten minutes from 7.30am on the morning of July 1, the precise moment that soldiers climbed from the safety of their trenches to face the awaiting onslaught.
At the same time as the church bells are tolling, a second ceremony of Remembrance will take place in Pery Square.
On that first day of the Battle of the Somme, there were around sixty thousand casualties, including twenty thousand deaths. Of those who were killed, two thousand were Irish soldiers. By the time the battle ended on November 18, four and a half months later, there had been over 1,300,000 deaths on both sides.
Nearly every community across the thirty-two counties of Ireland, including Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary, Connaught and Cork, was deeply affected by the loss of men at the Battle of the Somme.
The Remembrance event’s in Limerick offer an opportunity for people to acknowledge the sacrifice of those who died, or who suffered horrific injuries.
“The Peal for the Somme is intended as a community event to promote remembrance of those of all nations who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Lt. Col. Ken Martin, chairman of the Royal British Legion in the Republic of Ireland.
by Alan Jacques
