Remembrance Day 2012

A Remembrance Service was broadcast over the intercom, on the 9th November 2012, to honour the dead of the two World Wars and all conflicts, past and present. This Ceremony of Remembrance was observed in order to recall the official end of World War 1, on 11th November in 1918. The major hostilities of the Great War ended, “at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”, in 1918.

Mr. B. Mc.Gill, Mr. E. Carr and Mrs. C. Bogan spoke at the Service and they asked each member of the school community to pause for prayer and reflection. Mr. Mc.Gill explained the reasons why so many Irishmen fought in World War One and he made reference to the fact that many Irishmen who died were members of our own families. He especially emphasised the waste of human life during the Great War – “the war to end all wars”. He asked our school community to remember all who had died. Mr. Carr explained that Irishmen fought and died in places such as Verdun, Ypres and the Somme on the Western Front; in Tannenburg on the Eastern Front; in Gallipoli in Turkey and even at sea, including the biggest naval battle of all at Jutland. He explained that there are indeed many Irishmen who have no known graves. They lie buried in unmarked graves.

Mrs. Bogan asked that, in communion with countries all around the world, St. Mary’s would observe one minute’s silence, during which the dead of two World Wars and conflicts past and present were remembered. She asked students to study the poignant World War One display, assembled by Miss A. Mullins (a History Teacher in St. Mary’s for many years and now retired), Ms. N. Cunningham (Art Department) and members of the History Department.

Mrs. Bogan concluded by asking the school community to remember the sacrifice of those who died in World War One by recalling the words inscribed on the Kohima Monument in the Military Cemetery of Kohima, Assam, India, which says – “When you go home Tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow We gave our today”. Ar dheis Lámh Dé go raibh a n-Anamacha Uaisle Óga go léir.