BUNCRANA was among the
Donegal towns with the highest number of casualties
in the Great War of 1914 -1918.
Figures from the Co Donegal War memorial committee
show that the seaside town had 30 fallen out of a
county total of 1,200. Ramelton suffered even more
losses, with 45 fallen.
The committee is hoping to erect a public war
memorial somewhere in the county to honour the 1,200
Donegal men and women who died in WWI.
They are also appealing for help in securing a small
plot of land on which to erect the memorial as well
as the services of stonemasons/builders to help with
the project.
Co-ordinator of the memorial group, Sean McClafferty,
explained: ''We have been inundated with enquiries
from the general public, who have asked us to help
them find some snippets of information on their
family members who were either killed in action or
who served in the 1914-1918 war.
"In many ways this project has grown into something
far bigger than a one-issue project - that being
erecting a war memorial. It has become almost a
service in giving families across Donegal
information on a family member who left the county
to go and fight in a war they thought would be over
by Christmas."
He added: "Sadly 1,200 of them would never return to
Donegal or the families they left behind. It is a
personal and moving project that is about educating
people about the sad reality of how this war
affected so many and how it impacted small
communities."
"Every town and village in Donegal was affected,"
according to the memorial committee. Among them,
Annagry in west Donegal had nine men killed;
Dunfanaghy 23; Falcarragh 15; Ramelton 45; Downings
8; Carrigart 18; Buncrana 30; Fanad 9 and
Newtowncunningham 24.
The committee explained that the local rector of
Fahan parish, the Rev Dickson, lost both his nurse
daughters, Anne and Mary Dickson. Three Letterkenny
brothers were also killed in action. "Surely, now it
is time to remember the 1200 from Donegal who never
made it home," added the group. |
