Incredible Leinster Regiment Display officially opened in Birr Library

The Leinster Regiment Display was officially opened in Birr Library by Leas-Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr Seán O'Brien, on Thursday afternoon last.

Over 30 turned up for the opening and Cllr O'Brien pointed out that he was in “great company” because also present were Birr Municipal Councillors Audrey Hennessy Kennedy, Eleanor Clendennen, Seán Maher, and Peter Ormond. Also in attendance were Leinster Regiment Association members Junior O'Callaghan, Damien Delaney, Chris Brummell, Brendan Fogarty, Bill Finnane, Tony Hayden, Katrina Hayden and John Hoare. Cllr O'Brien said Cllr John Leahy, Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, was on leave and therefore he was standing in for him. He praised the hard working Association committee, adding that he was glad to see the young generation being represented on the committee by Damien Delaney. “To put on this expanded exhibition is a great sign of who you, the committee, are,” he remarked. “You are fantastic people. What we see here is a super collection and I strongly recommend it to everyone.”

Cllr O'Brien gave us a brief history of the Regiment, which was established in 1881 and its Home Barracks was in Birr. It could trace its history back through a number of regiments to 1804. The Leinsters were disbanded in 1922.

There's a memorial window to the Leinsters in St Brendan's Catholic Church in Birr, the Councillor continued.

He went through a number of the campaigns, including the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War in 1895, the Second Boer War and the Western Front during World War One.

He pointed out that the Regimental Silverware is housed in the Royal Military College of Canada.

Junior O'Callaghan, Chairperson of the Leinster Regiment Association, pointed out that the exhibition showcases an amazing collection of medals and items from all over the world. “Many of these medals were collected by Bill Finnane, who is deeply committed to the hobby. Thanks to Bill we now have medals from other armies, including the German army during World War 2. All the medals are originals.” The Chairperson praised the Association Secretary Damien Delaney whose relation was a Captain in the Regiment. “Damien is a hard worker in the Association and we are very grateful to him. He thanked the librarian Sarah D'Arcy and the other members of the Birr Library staff for being very helpful and accommodating.

Included in the display of memorabilia related to the regiment are a Soldier's Pocket Book, an Officer's Record of Services, a Pilot's Flying Log Book, a large number of medals awarded to many members of the rank and file, non-commissioned and commissioned officers, Flint and Buckshot from the battlefields, the Leinster Regiment in Comics (including Victor 25/2/1984 – Private Martin Moffat VC; Hornet 4/2/67 – the Regiment Mascot Sam the Dog during the 1857 Indian Rebellion; and Victor 3/3/1973 – Sgt John O'Neill VC).

Also on display are uniforms, headwear, trumpets, swords, medals from different regiments and different countries. There is even a German SS insignia (skull and crossbones), and an Auschwitz Cross (which was established in 1985 to honour survivors of Nazi concentration camps).

One of the contributions to the Display was made by Cllr Seán Maher, who presented a trumpet that had been in the ownership of his relation George Stoney George fought with the Connaught Rangers in the Salonica Campaign in Macedonia during World War One. He survived the war.

Tony Hayden commented that from 1881 to 1922 Birr was a garrison town, from where troops were posted to various parts of the world to fight. “There's a lot of Birr people today,” continued Tony, “whose relatives were in the Regiment, a lot of them, sadly, dying in battle. It's very sad but it's also a very important part of our history and we should always remember it. The wonderful exhibition we see today, with its incredible display of medals, is largely made up of items donated by various families in Birr, families whose relatives were in the Regiment. We started off this exhibition about ten years ago, in the Violet Doolin Room in the Library. Now it's expanded into this much bigger Atrium. The exhibition is open right throughout August, so if anyone wants to come along and look at their history then please do so. It's well worth seeing.”

The specific opening times for the exhibition in August are those of the Birr Library opening hours, which are Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm.

Speaking to the Tribune after the official opening the Chairperson said some of the exhibition will remain on permanent display in the Library while the remainder will go into storage. He said the Association is looking for a new home for the exhibition. “We are very grateful to the library, but we are now seeking a larger, permanent space, somewhere in Birr.” He urged anyone who may have such a space to please contact the Birr Library staff.

“Another major aim is to twin Birr with Ledegem in Belgium. Ledegem was liberated by the Leinsters in October 1918. A lot of work went into this twinning project, including visits to Ledegem, but it fell by the wayside in 2014 when the Council was disbanded. We want to revive it now and get it done. We have discussed the matter with a couple of local Councillors.”

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