Memorial bust to Ledwidge unveiled by McGuinness

Rosemary Yore, Liam O Meara, Martin McGuinness and Michael O Flanagan of the Inchicore Ledwidge Society

August 13 2016 12:00 AM

A bronze bust of the Slane poet and soldier Francis Ledwidge was unveiled at the Richmond Barracks museum in Dublin.

The bust was commissioned by the Inchicore Ledwidge Society to mark the poet's connection with the barracks where he served as a soldier in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness unveiled the statue of Lance Corporal Ledwidge in the historic gymnasium where the 1916 leaders were once held.

In his speech Mr McGuinness spoke of Republican friends whose grandfathers had fought with the British Army in the Battle of the Somme and said there had been a "national amnesia about what happened during the first World War" and that it is "only right that we get over that. It's only right that we honour our poets and preserve their life and memory and lessons we can learn from their work."

He recently travelled to Belgium to visit Ledwidge's grave, something he described as "a very emotional occasion".

The event drew a large crowd which filled the gymnasium for the occasion. Among those present were; Martin Mansergh, artist Robert Ballagh, and Rosmarie Yore of the Ledwidge Cottage Committee in Slane, who attended with her husband Colm.

Chairman of the Inchicore Ledwidge Society, Liam O Meara gave a speech before he introduced Martin Mansergh. He called for those present to show there appreciation for the Ledwidge Cottage Committee whom he said had " worked tirelessly down the years since the 1960's to preserve the Ledwidge home as a museum."

Drogheda Independent