Welcome to Wexford Great War Dead

During the Great War, 1914 – 1918, a large number of men from Co. Wexford fought and died in the conflict which has been described as  'the war to end all wars'. This conflict resulted in a catastrophic loss of life and had dire and lasting consequences for generations across Europe.

In Wexford, the local newspapers of the period are full of the obituaries of those men and women, military and civilian, who died as a result of the war.

Until recently, it was believed that just over 500 men from Co. Wexford, who had enlisted in the British military, died fighting in the land war on the Western Front, Middle East and at Gallipoli. Research now shows this number drastically understates the loss of life for County Wexford.

Due to advances in digital archiving and on-line research tools, we now have access to Naval Service, Royal Flying Corp and Mercantile Marine records, as well as digitised birth, marriage and death records for the period. These advances in technology and research methods allow us to develop a fuller picture of the devastation caused to families and communities in County Wexford by The Great War.

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Where have all the young men gone?


When we scan the Census forms
In twenty twenty one and wonder,
Where have all the young men gone?
Then we remember.  Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme.

They went to war a hundred years ago
Brothers, Fathers, and Uncles, we never grew to know.
Where have all the young men gone?
They lay at rest in Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme

The Volunteers answered Redmond's call,
When Britain's back, was against the  wall.
Never returned to where they came from
Now at peace in Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme.

Today crowds who stand and silently wait, for the
Last post and reveille, at the Mennin Gate.
Read men’s names and the regiments they came from
Who lie in graves, unmarked, at Ypres, Mons
And the Somme.

That mournful sound as buglers play.
The Last Post in Mennin at the end of day.
Their memory in towns and villages will live on.
As they rest quietly now, In Gallipolli, Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme.

To commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the end of The Great War  1914--1918. In Memory of. Pte Thomas Byrne. 1900. 6th Bn. Royal Irish Regt. Killed in Action at Passchendale, Ypres. 5th August 1917.
Tom O'Byrne, (Nephew) August 2018.

Died on August 5th

Byrne, Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
Lived in Wygram, Wexford. (also lived in Waterloo Road and Upper John Street.)
Service No.
1900
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
6th Battalion
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action during the Third Battle of Ypres, Flanders (Jul 31, 1917 – Nov 10, 1917).
Other Biographical Details

Son of John & Sarah Byrne, (nee Lacey) Wygram, Wexford. Step Mother Margaret Byrne (nee Roche) at John Street, Wexford. Thomas was an apprentice moulder in a local foundry at the time of the Wexford Lockout 1911. His body was never recovered. He is memorialised on panel 33, Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.

Taylor, Charles

Date of Birth
Rank
Major
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
3rd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action, France
Other Biographical Details
Son of Godfrey Lovelace and Dorothea Marie Taylor née Bruun of Grangeville, Fethard.

Veney, William Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
Kongwak, Victoria
Service No.
967
Rank
Private
Regiment
Australian Infantry
24th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details
Son of Frederick and Margaret Veney née Wallace. Article in the Enniscorthy Guardian. Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 10th May 1915. Letter from his mother dated 12th July 1917 to the Commanding Officer of records.

Born on August 5th

Power, John Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
West derby Road, Liverpool.
Service No.
31550
Rank
Private
Regiment
Kings Liverpool Regiment
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action at the Somme
Other Biographical Details

Son of Laurance Power of Coolamaine and Annie née Reilly of Charlotte Street, Wexford.

Sample Records

Flanagan Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
Bullawn, Co. Wexford
Service No.
21651
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Mary Flanagan nee Bolger of 13 Bullawn, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

Nolan, James

Posed sepia photograph, head and shoulders of James Nolan prior to enlisting aged 20. Freshfaced, short dark hair, wearing a white shirt with narrow knotted tie and a lighted coloured relaxed jacket.
Date of Birth
Address
Ballinamona, Ballycanew, Gorey.
Service No.
8225
Rank
Corporal
Regiment
Machine Gun Corps
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action during the Battle of San Quentin at The Somme
Other Biographical Details

Son of James and Margaret Nolan née Duffy of Ballinamona, Ballycanew. (Twin brother of Peter.) Formally with the Royal Irish Regiment Service number 5161. 
Decorated in 1917 and awarded the Military Medal, for bravery in battle on land.  He was listed in the London Gazette on 18th July 1917. Memorialised on Panel 90-93 the Pozieres Memorial, The Somme, France.

Redmond, William Hoey Kearney

Date of Birth
Alias
Willie Redmond.
Address
Glenbrook, Delgany, Co.Wicklow and Palace Manshions, Kensington, London.
Rank
Major
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
6th Battalion
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of Wound received in an attack at Wytschaete Wood in Belgium after being injured by a shell.
Other Biographical Details

Husband of Eleanor Redmond. Nationalist Member of Parliament for Wexford since 1884. Awarded the Legion of Honour (France). One of the rare people to be buried abroad during WW1 in a coffin. Son of William Archer and Mary Redmond née Hoey. Younger brother of John E. Redmond MP and Leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party.

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