Local World War I Books/Articles/Projects

convert

Just wondering if anyone could recommend any books, articles or projects had been done on local history - a town, county, parish, etc.

Most of what I've come across is 'the bigger picture', using specific people/cases as examples to highlight the story, but I've not come across much local work.

Would really appreciate any recommendations.

pedroeibar1

Interesting question. I cannot think of a specific book – possibly because very few exist. Best bet would be to concentrate on local history publications from areas surrounding ‘the Ports’ or a place like Arklow, which had a huge explosives factory (Kynochs) that supplied munitions at at peak production employed thousands. From memory there was a Wicklow Heritage exhibition on it.

tabbey

Yes, the explosives factory had a major effect on the people of Arklow, there is a monument in the cemetery in Sheephouse to those who died in the explosion there.

I suppose what the op needs is local histories which highlight the WW1 period. Regrettably local histories in Ireland tell us that some person did something in 1916, 1921 or 1922, but largely omit the sufferings of the very many who served in the Great War, their families and friends.

There is so much primary source evidence in the local and national newspapers, that this is a topic just waiting to be explored and published.

Peregrinus

Well, there is Irish voices from the Great War, by Myles Dungan. It's not local history as such, but it does deal with individual stories, individual accounts, so it looks at the micro rather than the macro picture. Mostly, though, it looks at people who served in the war, so it tells stories from the front, rather than from the home front.

Historybluff

Here's a few books:

In a Time of War: Kildare 1914-1918 by James Durney (Merrion, 2014)

In a Time of War: Tipperary 1914-1918 by John Dennehy (Merrion, 2013)

The Impact of World War One on Limerick by Tadhg Moloney (Cambridge Scholars, 2013)

Missent

Couple of more books:-

Cousins, Armagh & the Great War, 2011;
Kilbeggan Heritage Group, Who Answered the Bugle Call: Kilbeggan & Neighbourhood During WWI, 2011;
Power, The Forgotten Few: Ferns Co. Wexford Casualties of WWI & WW2;

Also the biography - Denman, The Life & Death of William Redmond, 1995.

The Cousins book is particularly good.

enfield

'26 County Casualties of the Great War' in 15 volumes, should be available in your library local studies also available on Amazon. Dublin Casualties of the Great War will be published later in April and the Cork Casualties of the Great war will be out in about four weeks. It includes over 1,000 names missing for the 'Great Sacrifice.'

convert

Thanks for all the replies and suggested books. It's much appreciated and a lot of reading, which I'll be starting today when I get some of the books from the library!

Hadn't thought about Dungan's book, but will take a look at it. And thanks for listing the other works focusing on local histories in Kildare, Tipperary, Armagh, Kilbeggan and Wexford. That's exactly what I was looking for, so they're perfect!

I agree that a lot of the local histories tend to look at more 'Irish' related histories rather than involvement in more 'international' events, such as WWI or WWII. And that may stem from our 'history' (to use that phrase!) and hear how some people/families were viewed having volunteered/had family members volunteer during WWI.

Peregrinus

Well, it's in the nature of things that local histories deal with persons and events of local significance, rather than with perhaps much greater events that take place far away. It seems to me that what you're really looking for is a "home front" book about the Great War (How did the war affect those who stayed at home?) which focuses on Ireland, or on somewhere in Ireland.

The term "home front" wasn't even coined until 1917 (and even then it referred to the situation in Germany). Until you have the concept of total war, in which a nation's entire workforce, economy, etc is oriented towards the war effort, you don't really have a concept of "home front", or a sense that what happens in, e.g. Flanders is of central importance in understanding the story of some Irish county or town. At best, it's something that impacted the town from a distance, affecting but not supplanting the town's own story.

kildarejohn

A great source of Local history information re WWI period is local newspapers.
For Kildare, there is an online newspaper archive available for free at - http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/KCL.Edu/#panel=home (courtesy of an arrangement by Kildare Co.Council)
Various subscription websites offer newspapers for other counties - does anyone know of free newspaper collections for other counties?

PMBC

kildarejohn wrote: »

A great source of Local history information re WWI period is local newspapers.
For Kildare, there is an online newspaper archive available for free at - http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/KCL.Edu/#panel=home (courtesy of an arrangement by Kildare Co.Council)
Various subscription websites offer newspapers for other counties - does anyone know of free newspaper collections for other counties?

Do you know is there such a resource for other counties eg Offaly

jos28

I'd recommend this one for individual's stories:
A COWARD IF I RETURN, A HERO IF I FALL
Stories of Irishmen in World War I
By Neil Richardson


PM sent.

Josip007

Popular World War 1 Books which I remembered are:
All Quiet on the Western Front (Mass Market Paperback) - by Erich Maria Remarque
The Guns of August (Paperback) - by Barbara W. Tuchman
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania (Hardcover) - by Erik Larson
Please share if there are any interesting more books apart from this.
Thanks.

enfield

‘Cork War Dead’ has just been published at cost price on Amazon. 1,200 pages, in two volumes, containing the most up-to-date listing of almost 5,000 Cork men and women who died during the Great War. A great many of these names recorded for the very first time. Painstakingly compiled over a ten year period in the peaceful, and inspirational serenity of Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, County Cork.

Available on Amazon;-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717036392/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1524247288&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=cork+war+dead

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717037143/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524247288&sr=1-1&keywords=cork+war+dead

Aglomerado

Here's one from Clare. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/clare_men_women_great_war.htm
Very painstakingly researched.
Had an ancestor die in WWI and he is here but this states he died in the Somme...he was actually a POW in Germany at the time!

enfield

Aglomerado wrote: »

Here's one from Clare. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/clare_men_women_great_war.htm
Very painstakingly researched.
Had an ancestor die in WWI and he is here but this states he died in the Somme...he was actually a POW in Germany at the time!

That is very interesting, may have his name and I will see if there is anything on him in other references.

Aglomerado

enfield wrote: »

That is very interesting, may have his name and I will see if there is anything on him in other references.

Thanks Enfield. I've pieced together his military history & he was released back to England later in 1916 where he died that December from mouth cancer at the age of 41. Probably due to smoking and drinking....
My dad has visited the military cemetery where he's buried and I hope to do the same next month myself.
Fascinating all the same,he was in Limburg when Roger Casement went out there!

enfield

Ah I see.
County Clare Prisoners of War Aid Fund Committee. Private Burke writes from Limburg—Dear Mrs Studdert, I have just received your parcel in good condition. We are more than thankful to you and the member of the committee for the kind turns you have done for the Claremen. Myself and Lance Corporal Leyden stop in the same room, and a parcel of food is very welcome. Best wishes from all the Claremen.

Aglomerado

Spot on enfeld! L/Corp Leyden was my great uncle!

enfield

Related to Pte John Leyden from Boyle with the Yorkshires also a POW?

Aglomerado

enfield wrote: »

Related to Pte John Leyden from Boyle with the Yorkshires also a POW?

No, afraid not. No Roscommon connection that I'm aware of.

enfield

Ok so.

enfield

‘Dublin War Dead’ has just been published at cost price on Amazon. 2,300 pages, in four volumes, containing the most up-to-date listing of almost 9,000 Dublin men and women who died during the Great War. A great many of these names recorded for the very first time. Painstakingly compiled over a ten year period in the peaceful, and inspirational serenity of Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, County Cork.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717430058/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524984891&sr=1-7&keywords=dublin+war+dead
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717472524/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524984988&sr=1-6&keywords=dublin+war+dead
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717533825/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524984988&sr=1-5&keywords=dublin+war+dead
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717533973/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524984988&sr=1-4&keywords=dublin+war+dead


‘Cork War Dead’ has just been published at cost price on Amazon. 1,200 pages, in two volumes, containing the most up-to-date listing of almost 5,000 Cork men and women who died during the Great War. A great many of these names recorded for the very first time. Painstakingly compiled over a ten year period in the peaceful, and inspirational serenity of Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, County Cork.

Available on Amazon;-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717036392/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1524247288&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=cork+war+dead

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1717037143/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524247288&sr=1-1&keywords=cork+war+dead