Remembrance Day – Today Wednesday, 11th November 2026.
The Hero.
Poem by the late Siegfried Loraine Sassoon, (1886–1967).
‘Jack fell as he’d have wished,’ the mother said,
And folded up the letter that she’d read.
‘The Colonel writes so nicely.’ Something broke
In the tired voice that quavered to a choke.
She half looked up. ‘We mothers are so proud
Of our dead soldiers.’ Then her face was bowed.
Quietly the Brother Officer went out.
He’d told the poor old dear some gallant lies
That she would nourish all her days, no doubt
For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes
Had shone with gentle triumph, brimmed with joy,
Because he’d been so brave, her glorious boy.
He thought how ‘Jack’, cold-footed, useless swine,
Had panicked down the trench that night the mine
Went up at Wicked Corner; how he’d tried
To get sent home, and how, at last, he died,
Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care
Except that lonely woman with white hair.
END
Today, on the 11th day of the 11th month, we pause in solemn remembrance of those who lost their lives during and in the aftermath of the First World War (1914–1918). At the eleventh hour, we remember the moment in 1918 when the guns finally fell silent on the Western Front, bringing an end to more than four years of unimaginable suffering, destruction and loss.
For the people of Thurles, Co. Tipperary, this day holds a particular significance. Among the countless lives lost were officers and men from our own town and surrounding communities, ordinary people whose lives were forever changed by the horrors of war.
They were sons, brothers, friends and neighbours. At least 50,000 families in Ireland were affected by the loss of a loved one, during the First World War. They left behind families, familiar streets, townlands and communities, many never to return. Time may have passed, but their names deserve never to be forgotten.
In Memory of the Thurles Area Officers and Men Who Died During and Following the First World War.
Today, we respectfully recall the following known names, preserved through historical research, including that of published author Mr Tom Burnell.
Anderson John; Armstrong William Maurice (Captain, M.C.); Beirne John; Bermingham Patrick; Bourke James; Brett Timothy; Butler John; Byrne Patrick; Carroll Martin; Carroll Thomas; Carty John; Cassidy John.
Cleary Joseph; Cleary Patrick; Cleary Thomas; Coady Edward; Coady Joseph; Coady Richard; Coffey Michael; Cooke Henry F.; Cooney David; Cummins John; Conway Denis; Cunningham John (V.C.); Cunningham Patrick.
Cusack Oliver; Dea Patrick; Dwyer Cornelius; Egan Martin; Fitzpatrick Joseph; Gouldsborough Patrick; Griffin Thomas; Hackett Martin; Hanrahan Daniel; Hayes Daniel; Hayes Thomas; Hennessey Thomas; Horan Joseph.
Jordan Denis; Kelly James; Kelly William; Kennedy Matthew; Kiely Owen; Knox Hubert (Lt. Col.); Knox William (Lt. Col.); Lawyer Joseph; Maher Frank; Maher James; Maher James Bernard; Maher John.
McCormack Francis; McCormack Thomas; McLoughlin James J.; Meany James; Mockler Patrick; Moyler George; O’Brien Lawrence; O’Grady Patrick; O’Shea John; Power Michael; Purcell Philip; Quinlan Joseph.
Ryan Andrew; Ryan James; Ryan John; Ryan Martin; Ryan Michael; Ryan Patrick; Scally Patrick; Shields Matthew; Stapleton John; Sullivan Patrick; Terry Timothy; Walsh James.
Each of the above names represents a life once lived, a family touched by grief, and a place in the history of Thurles that should never be erased.
These men came from a country whose relationship with the First World War was complex, yet the suffering endured by those who served, and the heartbreak of those left behind, were very real.
Remembrance is not about glorifying war. It is about acknowledging sacrifice, recognising human suffering and remembering the terrible cost of conflict.
Fr Willie Doyle – A Life of Courage, Faith and Compassion
This Remembrance Day also brings encouraging news concerning the cause for canonisation of the remarkable Irish Jesuit priest and First World War chaplain, Fr Willie Doyle SJ (1873–1917).
Born in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Fr Doyle became widely admired for his extraordinary bravery and compassion while ministering to soldiers on the Western Front.
Regardless of religious denomination, he offered comfort to the frightened, administered to the wounded and accompanied the dying during some of the darkest moments of the war.
On 16th August 1917, during the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium, Fr Doyle was killed while attempting to assist soldiers in danger beyond the front line.
His courage was matched by his humanity, and his life remains a powerful example of love expressed through selfless service.
On 9th November 2026, a significant new chapter began in the cause for his canonisation.
The extensive documentation gathered during the diocesan investigation was formally delivered to the Vatican’s Dicastery [Latter a department or ministry in the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church that helps the Pope govern the global Church], for the Causes of Saints in Rome.
The diocesan phase had concluded on October 18th 2026 at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, under the leadership of Bishop Tom Deenihan of Meath.
More than 3,000 pages of Fr Doyle’s writings, together with historical and theological research, have been assembled as part of the investigation. The cause now enters its Roman phase, where the evidence will undergo further examination.
Although the journey towards possible sainthood has further stages to complete, this latest development represents an important milestone in recognising a priest whose extraordinary compassion extended beyond differences of nationality, belief and background.
His story serves as a fitting reminder, on this day of remembrance, that even amid the darkest cruelty of war, goodness, kindness and love can still shine through.
Faith, Hope and Love – A Message for Remembrance Day
As we remember those from Thurles and elsewhere who gave their lives, perhaps no words express the importance of compassion and humanity more beautifully than those of St Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 13:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
The above timeless words remind us that while wars divide nations and destroy lives, it is compassion, forgiveness, kindness and love that offer humanity its greatest hope.
We Will Remember Them.
On this day, 11th November, let us remember not only the names recorded above, but also the many others whose suffering and sacrifice may never have been fully documented.
Let us remember the families who waited for loved ones who never came home, those who returned carrying wounds both visible and unseen, and the generations forever affected by the Great War.
Above all, let us hope that future generations will learn from the suffering of the past and strive for a world in which peace is valued above conflict and compassion triumphs over hatred.
We will remember them.
Leave a Reply