Ten of them had inscribed remembrance; the names of ten of them caught the eye of those who worshipped in the Church of Ireland parish church Sunday by Sunday; for the most part, the remainder of them were forgotten, by everyone except their families. To have fought in the British army meant finding oneself on the wrong side of history. A century on, and in a new Ireland, individual dignity seems more important than historical sides. This year we remember not ten, but forty-four men who were born, or lived in Mountrath.

Private Jeremiah Bergin, born in Mountrath, enlisted at Castletown.
2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Killed in action 20th October 1914, Ploegsteert Memorial, Flanders

Private Patrick Bergin, born in Mountrath, enlisted at Maryborough
2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Killed in action 20th October 1914, Age 19, Ploegsteert Memorial, Flanders

Private James Breen, born in Mountrath, enlisted at Maryborough
1st Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Died of wounds, 10th August 1915, buried at Portlaoise

Wireless Operator Lionel John Briggs, Son of Andrew and Mary Briggs, of Crannagh, Mountrath
SS Polymnia
Killed in action, 15th May 1917, Age 21, Tower Hill Memorial

Private John Carthy, born in Mountrath, enlisted at The Heath Camp, Maryborough
1st Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Killed in action, 12th May 1915, Menin Gate

Private Richard Collins, born in Mountrath, son of Mr and Mrs James Collins of Shinrone, enlisted at Birr
8th (Kings Royal Irish) Hussars
Killed in action 31st March 1918, age 29, buried at Gezaincourt Communal Cemetry Extension, Somme

Rifleman John Copeland, Son of George and Annie Copeland, of Ballymorris, Portarlington, born at Raheen, lived in Mountrath, enlisted at Bray
1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action 5th August 1917, age 20, buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery, Flanders

Private Fenton Costigan, born Clonenagh, lived in Mountrath
19th (Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal) Hussars
Killed in action 6th September 1915, buried at Arneke Churchyard, Nord

Private Patrick Joseph Cronin, born and lived in Mountrath
Worcester Yeomanry (The Queen’s Own Worcestershire Hussars)
Died 27th October 1918, buried at Damasacus Commonwealth War Cemetery, Syria

Private James Delaney, son of John and Julia Delaney of Roskelton, Mountrath
1st Battalion, Irish Guards
Died of wounds 1st April 1918, age 33, buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais

Second Lieutenant Ernest Richard Despard, son of William Despard of Donore, Mountrath
E Battalion, Tank Corps
Killed in action 26th September 1917, age 30, buried at Dozingheim Military Cemetery, Flanders

Private Robert Dewane, Son of Christy and Mary Dewane, of Upper Coote, Mountrath
2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment
Killed in action 2nd May 1915, age 25, buried at Erquinghem-Lys Churchyard

Gunner John Doyle, son of John Doyle, of Dysartbeagh, Mountrath
Royal Garrison Artillery
Died on 29th December 1914, age 31, buried at Cobh Old Church Cemetery

Serjeant Patrick Doyle MM, son of Mr James & Mrs M Doyle of Shannon Road, Mountrath, enlisted at The Heath Camp, Maryborough
7th Battalion Leinster Regiment,
Killed in action 17th August 1917, buried at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No 3, Flanders

Private James Dunbar, born in Mountrath
The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
Killed in action 15th October 1914, buried at Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois Grenier, Nord

Rifleman Martin Fitzpatrick, born in Mountrath, son of Patrick and Julia Fitzpatrick of 6 Cameron St., Cork St., Dublin, enlisted in Dublin
7th Battalion Leinster Regiment
Died of wounds 20th January 1917, buried at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, Flanders

Private Michael Joseph Fitzpatrick, Son of Thomas and Eliza Fitzpatrick, of Trumera, Mountrath, enlisted at Saint Helens
8th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment attached to 5th Entrenching Battalion
Killed in action 30th April 1918, age 21, Pozieres Memorial, Somme

Lieutenant Colonel George Despard Franks CMG DSO, son of William Franks of Westfield, Mountrath
19th (Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal) Hussars
Killed in action 8th October 1918, age 45, buried at Brancourt-le-Grand Communal Cemetery, Aisne

Private Martin Fogarty, Son of Bridget Fogarty, and the late Kieran Fogarty, of Cloncourse, Mountrath
116th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 27th August 1918, age 25, Vimy Memorial

Private Thomas Glennon, born in Mountrath, enlisted at Bradford, Yorkshire
1st Garrison Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Died 19th September 1918, Taukkyan Memorial, Burma

Private James Grace, son of  Robert and Eliza Grace, of Main St., Mountrath
1st Battalion Leinster Regiment
Killed in action 12th June 1915, age 29, buried at Strand Military Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium

Corporal Richard Hetherington, son of Patrick and Ann Hetherington of Mountrath, enlisted at Maryborough
1st Battalion Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Killed in action 18th September 1914, age 30, La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, Seine-et-Marne

Lance Corporal Francis Hooban, Son of Joseph and Julia Hooban of Upper Sconce, Mountrath, enlisted at Manchester
2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment attached 198th Light Trench Mortar Battery
Died of wounds 22nd February 1918, age 29, buried at Le QuesnelCommunal Cemetery Extension, Somme

Private Patrick Joyce,  husband of Annie Joyce, of Badger Hill, Mountrath, enlisted at Mountrath
10th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Killed in action 24th April 1917, age 39, Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais

Serjeant Michael Kennedy, born in Mountrath, enlisted at Birr
1st Battalion Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Died of wounds at Salonika, 5th October 1916, buried at Lahana Military Cemetery, Greece

Private Patrick Leahy, born at Derrough, Mountrath, lived in Mountrath, enlisted at Maryborough
6th Battalion Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Died 25th July 1918, Buried at Saint Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France

Private Bernard McEvoy, born in Mountrath
15th (The King’s) Hussars
Died 23rd October 1918, age 40, buried at Knockaroo Churchyard

Lance Corporal P. McKenna, Son of John and Elizabeth McKenna, of Mountrath
1st Battalion Irish Guards
Died 22nd January 1917, age 32, Buried at Saint Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France

Private Robert Mahood, eldest son of Robert and L. Mahood, of 93, Sandymount Avenue, Dublin and Woodbrook, Mountrath.
7th (South Irish Horse) Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
Died 10th November 1917, age 26, buried at Saint Mary’s Church, Tipperary

Captain Gilbert Howe Maxwell Marsh, son of the late Col. Jeremy Taylor-Marsh and Mrs. Marsh of Mountrath
41st Dogras
Died 1st November 1914, age 32 , buried at Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais

Captain Harry Frances Freke Marsh MC, son of Henry Marsh, of Springmount, Mountrath,  and the late Helen E. Marsh.
2nd King Edward’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
Died 2nd February 1917, age 30, buried at Amara War Cemetery, Iraq

Captain James Strachan Seymour Mowbray
8th Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Died 25th September 1915, Loos Memorial

Corporal William Ouseley Murphy MM, Son of William and Maria Murphy, of Rushin, Mountrath
Royal Field Artillery
Died of wounds 11th November 1917, age 33, buried at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Flanders

Private Daniel O’Keeffe, born and lived in Mountrath, enlisted at Maryborough
1st Battalion Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Killed in action 6th September 1915, buried at Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Somme

Private George Anthony Rafter, Son of John and Sarah Rafter of Ballyfin, Mountrath
49th Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 2nd June 1916, age 25, Menin Gate

Private Joseph Rankin, born in Mountrath, son of Joseph and Margaret Rankin, of 23, Hollybank Rd., Drumcondra, Dublin, enlisted at Maryborough
South Irish Horse
Died 16th October 1914, age 22, buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais

Sergeant William Rawlins, son of John and Mary Rawlins, of Lower Mountrath,  husband of Annie Rawlins, of 1, Seapoint Terrace, Irishtown Rd., Dublin, enlisted at Limerick
South Irish Horse
Killed in action 30th September 1917, buried at Croisilles British Cemetery, Pas de Calais

Private Joseph Bernard Ryan, born in Mountrath, son of Valentine and Helena Ryan, of 22, Leeson Park, Dublin; husband of Mary Elizabeth Ryan, of 830, Davie St., Vancouver, British Columbia, lived in Farnham, Surrey, enlisted at Aldershot
6th Battalion Buffs (East Kent) Regiment
Killed in action 30th November 1917, Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord

Lance Corporal James Seale, born and lived in Mountrath, enlisted at Naas
2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Killed in action 24th May 1915, Menin Gate

Private James Tynan, born and lived in Mountrath
16th (County of London) Battalion (Queens Westminster Rifles)
Killed in action 28th August 1918, buried at Wancourt British Cemetery, Pas de Calais

Private Joshua Webster, son of Joshua Webster, of Lacca Lodge, Mountrath, and the late Catherine Webster
1st Battalion Connaught Rangers
Killed in action 26th November 1914, age 38, Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais

Private Albert Wilkinson, son of the late Samuel Wilkinson of Colt
9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Killed in action 29th March 1918, age 25, Pozieres Memorial

Private Edward Wilson, born in Mountrath, husband of Madeline Wilson, of 58 Elton Rd., Bishopston, Bristol. enlisted at Aldershot
15th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Died of wounds 28th October 1917, age 25, buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Flanders

Private S Young, born in Mountrath
20th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 11th September 1916, age 38, Vimy Memorial