John Augustus Conolly : Short Biography

John Augustus Conolly was born on the 30th of May 1829 in Celbridge County Kildare in the civil parish of Kildrought. Both his father and his maternal grandfather were members of parliament. 

As a young man, Conolly joined the British military. At the age of 25, he was fighting in the Crimean Wars. He was stationed with the 49th Regiment of Foot in Crimea. 

On the 26th of October 1854, Conolly was in Sebastopol pursuing a failed attack by the Russians. By this time Conolly had achieved the rank of Lieutenant and was leading the regiment. Conolly's courageous behaviour on that day was noted by a number of his contemporaries who wrote of his gallantry and heroism. Conolly's actions on that day earned him the Victoria Cross for bravery which was presented to him on the 5th of May 1887. 

Later in his military career he was given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 

On the 4th of August 1864, Conolly married Ida Charlotte Burnaby, with whom he would go on to have five children. 

In 1863 Conolly retired fully from his military career and was appointed as a sub-commissioner of the Dublin metropolitan police. After this he went on to become the Resident Magistrate of the Curragh in his native County Kildare. 

John Augustus Conolly died in the Curragh on the 23rd of December 1888, having been widowed for two years. 

He is buried is Mount Jerome Cemetery in Dublin