Martin O'Meara VC will visit Lorrha during summer

The Australian Embassy in Dublin has confirmed that Martin O'Meara's Victoria Cross will visit Lorrha during the summer.

The Australian Ambassador Gary Gray visited the village last week where he met several members of the local committee formed to campaign for the return of the medal to the village.

This was the Ambassador's second visit to the village during the last six months.

Last October he spent a whole day in Lorrha, visiting the important ecclesiastical sites in the village in the process.

Rose Mannion, Chairperson of the Lorrha Martin O'Meara VC Committee, told the Midland Tribune that the Ambassador's visit was shorter on this occasion because of his very busy schedule.

“We had breakfast with the Ambassador in the Friar's Tavern,” commented Rose, “during which he guaranteed us that the VC will be visiting the village during the summer, although he couldn't name a date yet.

“The Australian National Museum will visit Ireland for the occasion. They will travel to Collins Barracks in Dublin, where the VC has been housed since it arrived on our shores in the summer of 2019. Then they will accompany the medal, along with members of the Irish Army, down to our village where it will be on display for a day, prior to returning to Dublin and back to Australia.”

Ambassador Gray visited the village on Thursday morning April 21, accompanied by Embassy staff member James O'Donoghue.

After breakfast in Friar's Tavern the group laid two wreaths at the Martin O'Meara monument, in memory of Martin and, because Anzac Day was being held a couple of days later, in memory of all the Australian troops who were killed during World War One.

Mr Gray spoke about Anzac Day and what an important occasion it is for Australians. He also spoke about how revered Martin O'Meara was by the Australian people. The Australian government had to make an amendment to the constitution prior to allowing the medal leave Australia.

He warmly thanked Lil and Denis Maher in Friar's Tavern for their kind hospitality.

Rose Mannion said the committee has been working hard. “One of the things we are doing,” she said, “is involving the children of the three schools in the parish. Pupils from 3rd to 6th class in the schools are therefore taking part in a Stamp Competition. The pupils are being asked to depict Martin O'Meara during World War One, or a scene from his life during World War One. The winning entries will be displayed in Lorrha Community Centre (Scéal).”

The committee has also set up a GoFundMe page which has raised €420 so far. This funding will go towards the decorating, catering and music costs of the VC's visit to the village. The committee is hoping to raise €10,000. “We want to give the Victoria Cross a proper homecoming celebration,” said Rose.

Rose also thanked Gerard O'Meara for his forthcoming display of his World War One artefacts in Lorrha Community Centre on Sunday May 1 next.

The following are the members of the committee: Cllr Michael O'Meara, Martina Needham, Nancy White, Rose Mannion, James Heenan, Louis McCormack (Treasurer), Ger O'Meara (Secretary) and Michael Hoctor.

This will be the first visit of Martin O’Meara’s Victoria Cross back to the village since 105 years ago.

“Martin never forgot his parish,” said Rose. “He left a legacy in his will ‘towards the restoration of the Old Abbey in Lorrha now in ruins'.”

Martin O'Meara was born in Lissernane, Lorrha, on the 3rd November 1885. He emigrated to Perth, Australia, in 1911, where he worked as a sleeper-layer. He enlisted as a private in the Australian Imperial Force in 1915. Between the 9th and 12th August 1916, during a period of heavy fighting in the battle of the Somme, Martin repeatedly went out and returned with wounded officers and men from “No Man’s Land” under intense artillery and machine gun fire. He also volunteered to carry ammunition and bombs to sections of the trench which was heavily shelled. He was presented with his Victoria Cross (awarded for most conspicuous bravery) by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 21st July 1917.

After he received his Victoria Cross, he visited his family in Lorrha for the last time, returning to Australia in 1918. He died in Perth in 1935 at the age of 50 after many years of struggle with mental health issues.

Martin's Victoria Cross is normally held in Fremantle's Army Museum of Western Australia collection. The Australian government lent the VC to the National Museum of Ireland in July 2019. The loan required an amendment to the Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act (1986) to allow the "temporary export of important cultural artefacts". The Victoria Cross will be returning to the Army Museum of Western Australia later this year.

"Our aim," remarked Rose, "is to give the Victoria Cross awarded to him a proper homecoming celebration. Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by typing in Homecoming of Martin O’Meara’s VC Go Fund Me Page. Alternatively, there will be sealed buckets left in business premises around the parish where people can make donations if they wish to do so.
A full list of business premises where people can donate will be available soon."

She added that Ger O’Meara will be displaying his war militaria and memorabilia from the Great War, on Sunday May 1st in St Lorrha Community Centre - Scéal Shop (St Ruadhan's Community Hall) from 10am to 5pm. Items on display will include shrapnel, bayonets, helmet, Lee Enfield rifle, Mauser rifle, pigtail barbed wire posts, barbed wire etc., all of which were found on the Somme and Flanders battlefields. Visitors to the display will be able to see first hand the equipment used on the Great War battlefields and gain some perception of the conditions the soldiers on all sides had to endure. Also on display will be a variety of medals awarded to members of Irish Regiments throughout history. Recipients include soldiers from Birr, Cloughjordan, Loughrea and Thurles. There will be no entry fee but donations will be welcome on the day with all money raised going to the Martin O’Meara VC Homecoming fund. 

Rose made an appeal to everyone to please support Ger's display of memorabilia and the GoFundMe page. “Please help us remember and celebrate this great local hero in the most fitting way that we can.”