World Wars and Croom

1st January 1915

Croom (Limerick)

Back to List

Over one hundred years ago, World War One was under way, changing the landscape of families both in the UK and Ireland.

No matter what your views of the War are, the fact remains that 150,000 Irish men enlisted to fight in the British Army and 49,000 of those Irish men, many with families, died overseas.

Irish volunteers came from all backgrounds and religions, from every county in Ireland, with many enlisting for different reasons.

Many people have looked back into their family history to find out what links they have to World War One.

Pt. James Lyons died on 14th Nov 1917 aged 23. He was part of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. This poem was written by his gran nephew Dominic Taylor.

On the 14th of November
Nineteen seventeen
You died of your wounds
And a bullet
Unseen

Aged 23 years
This Munster Fusilier
Was sent to the front
To die with his peers
In defence of small nations
They said
But the truth it be told
For the folly of generals
You bled

In Dozinghem cemetery
You lie
Remembered with honour
They cry
But the clay that lies over
Your head
No reward for the sacrifice
Made
Though your name may live on
In stone
We know you will never
Come home