23rd Feb 1934 the first meeting of the Liam Lynch Memorial Committee was held. The purpose of the meeting was to form a committee to raise funds for the erection of a memorial on the Knockmealdown Mountains on the spot where General Liam Lynch, Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army was mortally wounded on April 10th 1923.
The original Liam Lynch Memorial Committee was made up of local volunteers.The names of the committee members included:-
– Ed Carrigan, Old Grange, Knocklofty- Chairperson
– William Dalton, Ballydonagh, Kilmanahan, Clonmel- Secretary
– James McGrath, Killeigh, Newcastle- Joint Treasurer
– Maurice O’Gorman, Carhue, Ardfinnan, Cahir- Joint Treasurer
– Matt McGrath, Killeigh, Newcastle
– Paddy Hackett, Newcastle
– William Lonergan, Reechestown, Ardfinnan
– F. Hallinan (address unknown)
– Michael Condon, Crough, Goatenbridge
– Edmond Leary, Knockballiniry, Goatenbridge
– Michael Slattery, Graigue, Clogheen
– David Hackett, Kilnacarriga, Newcastle
– F. Walsh (address unknown)
They immediately set to work and within a week a public appeal for subscriptions had appeared in the Press.
Public appeals for subscriptions also appeared in American Newspapers seeking support from the Friends of the Irish Republic in America.
The Local Committee together with a group of up to 60 volunteers made up of former comrades of General Lynch and locals and in consultation with Lynch’s family set about constructing the monument.
Below is a picture of the men who were engaged in digging the foundations of the Monument. Unfortunately the quality of the photo is not great and we are unable to identify all of them but included are:
Tom Carrigan, Stephen Grace, Bill Lonergan, Liam Leddy, Gunner Nugent, Willie McGrath, Johnny Long, Tommy Long, Willie Cullinan, Tom Shortiss and Jamsie McGrath and members of the committee.
The original committee, who have all long since passed away, committed to holding a memorial in Newcastle every April and for 89 years this tradition has been carried down and continued by our small committee in Newcastle.
