Longford and the Great War 2018 RMS Leinster

Remembering the six Longford dead

Longford County Council and Longford Library, Heritage and Archives Services invite you to join us for an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the R.M.S. Leinster, and the six Longford people that died in the tragedy.
They are:
Sophia Violet Barrett - VAD nurse, non-combatant - Ballintaver, Co. Galway and Lislea, Kenagh
Edward Finnion - Leinster Regiment - Churchland
Edward Kelly - Royal Air Force - Granard
Patrick McBrien - West Yorkshire Regt - Corglass, Moyne & Darlington, Yorkshire
Dr Sir William Henry Thompson - Ministry of Food, non-combatant - Ballinulty Hse, Granard, Belfast and Dublin.
William Henry Wakefield - Newtownforbes & Dublin - Post Office, non-combatant

(click on the hyperlinks to visit their individual biographies on our online database of Longford military personnel, Longfordatwar.ie)

The event will take will take place on Wednesday, 17 October 2018. The flag-raising ceremony will commence at 6pm at the Longford Remembrance Garden, Great Water Street, Longford (opposite Áras an Chontae, the Longford County Council offices, Eircode: N39 NH56). Immediately after, we will retire to the nearby Longford Branch Library. 

The commemoration will consist of a flag-raising ceremony, by the Peter Keenan Branch of the Organisation of National Ex-service Personnel (O.N.E.) and short ecumenical prayer at the Longford Remembrance Garden, Great Water Street. This will be followed by an event at Longford Branch-Library where local historian Doreen McHugh will discuss the Longford people who died in the disaster. George Armstrong, will also speak about his great-aunt, Violet Barrett.

All are welcome. We especially welcome the families of those listed above. 

This event is supported by The Heritage Council under the County Heritage Plan programme.