The Mayo Peace Park committee are organising a tour to the battlefields, museums, and cemeteries where the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines from Mayo fought and fell in World War I. One thousand two hundred names of the Mayo fallen, the majority from World War I, are commemorated at the Peace Park in Castlebar.
This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone from Mayo or beyond to remember and pay tribute to our fallen heroes.
2014 will see the start of centenary commemorations and remembrance ceremonies starting with the formation of the Irish Volunteers in 1913, the beginning of the Great War in 1914, Gallipoli in 1915, The Easter Rising in 1916, The Somme in 1916, the War of Independence in 1919, etc. In fact every year for the next 10 years or so will see myriad commemorations of events that have shaped Ireland and Europe into what we are today.
The Mayo Peace Park committee have chosen September 2013 as the optimum time to visit World War 1 battlefields. This will be in advance of the massive influx of tourists in 2014 which may cause prices to rise and may well strain transport and accommodation. Also, choosing September 2013 will help people to budget accordingly and plan their participation. This tour will be an opportunity for relatives and anyone else to visit graves and memorials associated with the fallen from so many families in County Mayo.
It will be a unique tour dedicated to the story of the Irish in World War 1. The itinerary will include visits to the places of action in Mons, Ypres, Messines and the Somme, and also the associated museums and war graves.
The committee are inviting people who would like to commit to joining the tour and who have particular graves or memorials that they want to visit, to give details well in advance of the tour and they will do their best to include them in the itinerary and give them an opportunity to lay a wreath if at all possible.
People who have never been on a battlefield tour or who do not have much knowledge of the history of the Great War should not be concerned. The level of presentation will suit everybody whether you are an expert or a novice, all will be explained.
The tour will accommodate 30 guests on a first come first served basis. For further information contact Captain Donal Buckley MA (hist ), public relations officer, Mayo Peace Park Committee, 086 8889 883, [email protected]
