Abbeyleix project aims to honour the memory of local men who fought and died in World War I

The staff at Heritage House Abbeyleix have been busy researching the names on the list of men who were presented with 'Certificates of Honour' in July 1917 by Lord de Vesci with the aim of holding an exhibition of memorabilia relating to World War 1 in particular, the men who enlisted.

Many of the surnames will be familiar to locals and they now want your help in sourcing documents e.g letters, telegrams, discharge notices or the certificates themselves, clothing, medals or any other memorabilia that you feel would be of interest.

These were monumental times in the history of our neighbours and friends and Paula and the staff of Heritage House feel that the brave men who fought...on the continent during this campaign should be given the recognition they deserve.

Some have already been in touch with the staff at Heritage House but, due to an unfortunate break-in a few months ago much of the information gathered to date has been lost.

So, can those who had already made contact please call again and to anyone else who can help with this exhibition please contact Paula or any staff member at Abbeyleix Heritage House on 057 8731653.

The following is the full list of recipients as published by the Leinster Express in 1917:

Denis Byrne 1st Batt. Irish Guards - Wife Mrs Byrne Granafalla Abbeyleix

Patrick Bergin 7th Batt Royal Irish Rifles – Uncle William Dunne Green Road Abbeyleix

John Boylan 3rd Batt Leinster Regiment – Mother Mrs Mary Boylan Ballyroan Abbeyleix

John Burke 4th Batt Leinster Regiment – Mother Mrs Sarah Burke Tullyroe Abbeyleix

Robert Branker Army Service Corps – Wife Mrs Branker Temperance Street Abbeyleix

Richard Baldwin 3rd Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mrs Bridget Baldwin Rathmoyle Cottages

Cpl William Brown (died) 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Widow Mrs Sarah Brown Temperance St Abbeyleix

Joseph Bonham 2nd Batt Irish Guards - Mother Mrs Mary Bonham Ballinakill Road Abbeyleix

Thomas Brazil Royal Field Artillery - Mother Mrs Anne Brazil Temperance Street Abbeyleix

James Coady (killed) 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Father Mr Michael Coady Clonkin Abbeyleix

Jeremiah Corrigan 3rd Batt Royal Irish Rifles - Wife Mrs Corrigan Brandra Abbeyleix

Harold Cole 59th Machine Gun Corps - Sister-in-Law Mrs Cole Ballymullen

Patrick Carroll 2nd Dragoon Guards - Sister Mrs Mary Maher Rathmoyle Abbeyleix

John Clooney 2nd Batt Leinster Regiment - Mother Mrs Kate Clooney Churchview Abbeyleix

James Carroll Leinster Regiment - Mother Mrs Maria Carroll Derrykearne Abbeyleix

Joseph Carroll Army Service Corps - Mother Mrs Maria Carroll Derrykearne Abbeyleix

Michael Chester 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mrs Mary Chester Tunduff Abbeyleix

James Chester Royal Horse Artillery - Sister Mrs Mary Holohan Ballindine Abbeyleix

Thomas Cummins R.A.M.C. - Wife Mrs Bridget Cummins The Tile Abbeyleix

Richard Baldwin South Irish Horse - Mother Mrs J Baldwin Doone Raheen Mountrath

George Baldwin Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - Mother Mrs J Baldwin Doone Raheen Mountrath

T Baldwin Army Service Corps - Mother Mrs J Baldwin Doone Raheen Mountrath

Patrick Coonan 6th Batt Connaught Rangers - Mother Mrs Kate Coonan Ballindine Road

William Carthy Royal Field Artillery - Wife Mrs Annie Carthy Rathmoyle Cottages

James Dooley 1st Batt Irish Guards - Mother Mrs Mary Dooley Rathmoyle Abbeyleix

Daniel Delaney Royal Garrison Artillery - Father Thomas Delaney Graiguenahown Spink Queen's Co.

Michael Devey 3rd Batt Leinster Regiment - Mother Mrs Julia Devey Ballyruin Ballyroan

Hugh Fyffe 10th Batt Royal Irish Fusiliers - Father Mr Andrew Fyffe The Square Abbeyleix

Robert Fyffe 10th Batt Royal Irish Fusiliers - Father Mr Andrew Fyffe The Square Abbeyleix

Flt Sub-Lieut Cecil Fitzherbert Naval Air Service - Father Mr Fitzherbert Millbrook Abbeyleix

Captain Arnold Fitzherbert South Irish Horse - Father Mr Fitzherbert Millbrook Abbeyleix

Patrick Guilfoyle R.G.A. - Wife Mrs Guilfoyle Ballytarsna Abbeyleix

Sgt.George Galbraith 12th Batt R Inniskilling Fusiliers - Mother Sarah Galbraith Corbally House Abbeyleix

Sgt.Charles Galbraith South Irish Horse - Mother Mrs Sarah Galbraith Corbally House Abbeyleix

John Greene (died) 3rd Batt Connaught Rangers - Mother Mrs Kate Greene Rathmoyle Cottages

Edward Foster Hartford London Regt. Civil Service Rifles - Father J Hartford Fordville Abbeyleix

Samuel Headland R.H.A. - Wife Mrs Headland The Warren Abbeyleix

Patrick Horan (killed) 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Brother William Horan Ballyroan

Sgt Michael Hooper 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mrs Bridget Hooper Temperance St Abbeyleix

J H Johnston Army Ordnance Corps - Mother Mrs Judith Johnston Ballyroan

Sgt Joe King Coldstream Guards - Mother Mrs King Sweetview Abbeyleix

Q/Mas Sgt William King Irish Guards - Mother Mrs King Sweetview Abbeyleix

Q/Mas Sgt Bernard King Australian A.S.C. Mother Mrs King Sweetview Abbeyleix

Richard Henry Lucas 5th Lancers - Father Mr George Lucas Abbeyleix

Arthur Joseph Lucas Royal Engineers - Father Mr George Lucas Abbeyleix

Daniel Loughman (killed) Duke of Wellington Regiment - Father Michael Loughman Temperance Street

Michael Loughman Royal Irish Regiment - Father Michael Loughman Temperance Street

William Lalor 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Mother Mrs Bridget Lalor Temperance Street

John Lalor (killed) R.N H.M.S. Pembroke - Mother Mrs Bridget Lalor Temperance Street

W.P.Lanniagn Motor Transport - Father Mr Lannigan Springmount

Jack Muldowney (prisoner) 12th Lancers - Mother Mrs Muldowney Killamuck

John Mangan East Surrey Regiment - Wife Mrs Mangan Red House Abbeyleix

David McAlden South Irish Horse - Father William McAlden Knapton Abbeyleix

Alick McAlden Royal Field Artillery - Father William McAlden Knapton Abbeyleix

Robert McAlden Army Service Corps - Father William McAlden Knapton Abbeyleix

John McAlden Canadian Mounted Rifles - Father William McAlden Knapton Abbeyleix

Joseph McAlden (died) 48th Canadian Highlanders -Mother Mrs McAlden Knapton Abbeyleix

Thomas Morris (died) 8th Btn Royal Dublin Fusiliers - Wife Mrs T Morris Blue Gate

Joseph Morris H.M.S.Glasgow - Father Mr J Morris Killamuck

Frederick Mulcahy 9th Cheshire Regiment - Wife Mrs Mulcahy The Warren

William Madigan (killed) 1st Batt Leinster Regiment - Mother Mrs Margaret Madigan Ballyroan

Denis McEvoy 26th Batt Tyneside Irish - Mother Mrs Kate McEvoy Derryfore Ballyroan

James Morrissey R.A.M.C. - Mother Mrs Morrissey The Hotel Abbeyleix

Sgt William Mitchell South Irish Horse - Father Mr Thomas Mitchell Tunduff House Abbeyleix

Sgt.Major Thomas Mitchell South Irish Horse - Father Mr Thomas Mitchell Tunduff House Abbeyleix

George Mills 6th Batt Royal Irish Regiment - Sister Kate Mills Tunduff Abbeyleix

Michael Moore (drowned) R.A.M.C. - Mother Mrs Margaret Moore Temperance Street

John Mills 3rd Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mrs Theresa Mills Tunduff

Joseph McGrath (discharged) 3rd Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mary McGrath Rathmoyle Cottages

William B Neil H.M.S. Lion - Mother Mrs Mary Neil Oldtown Abbeyleix

Gordon Neil 6th Batt Royal Irish Regiment - Mother Mrs Mary Neil Oldtown Abbeyleix

Sgt Henry Neil (died) 2nd Batt Royal Irish Regiment - Mother Mary Neil Oldtown Abbeyleix

John Neil (drowned) H.M.S. Severn - Mother Mrs Mary Neil Oldtown Abbeyleix

Robert Neil (prisoner) 3rd Batt Royal Irish Regiment - Mother Mrs Mary Neil Oldtown Abbeyleix

Samuel Neil Dorset Regiment - Mother Mrs Mary Neil Oldtown Abbeyleix

Thomas Nevin Royal Garrison Artillery - Mother Mrs Nevin Ballymullen Abbeyleix

Richard Oxley 1st Batt Irish Guards - Mother Mrs Sarah Oxley Closh Shanahoe

Michael O'Neil Motor Transport A.S.C. - Wife Mrs O'Neil New Row Abbeyleix

Robert Penman Royal Engineers - Mother Mrs Penman Sweetview Abbeyleix

William Penman Royal Engineers - Mother Mrs Penman Sweetview Abbeyleix

John Ryan Royal Scots Fusiliers - Mother Mrs Mary Ryan Ballypickas Abbeyleix

Henry Ryan 9th Batt Welsh Regiment - Mother Mrs Susan Ryan Ballyroan Abbeyleix

Michael Ryan 2nd Batt Irish Guards - Mother Mrs Susan Ryan Ballyroan Abbeyleix

John Revington (prisoner) 1st Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mrs Anastasia Revington The Tiles

Watson Smyth (killed) London Territorials - Father Thomas Smyth Sweetview Abbeyleix

Michael Sheeran 50th Batt 10th Canadian Brigade - Brother Andrew Sheeran Killamuck Abbeyleix

2nd Lieut Herbert Smyth 7th Batt Royal Irish Fusiliers - Mother Mrs Smyth Preston Terrace Abbeyleix

Sgt Alfred Smyth R.A.M.C. - Mother Mrs Smyth Preston Terrace Abbeyleix

Walter Smyth 1st Royal Dragoons - Mother Mrs Smyth Preston Terrace Abbeyleix

W J Taylor South African Infantry - Mother Mrs Taylor Sweetview Abbeyleix

Herbert Young (killed) 101st Canadian Light Infantry - Father William Young Ballyroan

Albert Young 5th Lancers - Father William Young Ballyroan

George Williams (prisoner) 2nd Batt Leinster Regiment - Aunt Mrs Eliza Morris Churchview Abbeyleix

Sgt Thomas Wrafter 4th Batt Leinster Regiment - Wife Mrs Mary Wrafter Temperance Street

James Wallace (killed) Irish Guards - Mother Mrs R Wallace Granafalla Abbeyleix

Albert Wilkinson Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - Father Samuel Wilkinson Colt Abbeyleix

Jerh.Wilkinson Irish Guards - Father Samuel Wilkinson Colt Abbeyleix

Frederick Wilkinson Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers – Father Samuel Wilkinson Colt Abbeyleix

Source

Leinster Express 7th July 1917