The Armagh War Memorial was unveiled last week [3^rd December, 1926] by his Grace the Governor of Northern Ireland. The Duke was accompanied by the Duchess, and as it was their first official visit the historic city held holidays. Flags fluttered and waved their welcome long before the hour of the ceremony townsfolk had taken up their positions in the Mall, where the memorial, flanked by a couple of guns, occupies such a commanding position.

A number of addresses were presented to his Grace by representatives of public bodies, including the Armagh County Council (Messrs. T.A. Montgomery, D.L., chairman; E. Cowdy, D.L., vice-chairman, and T.E. Reid, M.B.E. secretary) the Dean and Chapter of Armagh Cathedral (Very Rev. the Dean R.G.S. Hamilton, Canon Tichborne, and the Venerable Rev. Archdeacon Irwin); Armagh Presbytery (Rev. Thomas McKinney, Moderator; Mr. W.M. Clow, J.P. and Rev. H.W. Perry, clerk); Armagh Regional Educational Committee (Messrs. J.S. Carrick, acting chairman; Quinn, B.A. and J. Harland, J.P.); Armagh Rural Council and Board of Guardians (Messrs. T.H. Hardy, J.P. chairman of the  Council; T. Mann, acting chairman, and W.T. Todd); Newry No. 2 Rural Council (Messrs. G. Clorey, vice-chairman and W.R. Bell, J.P., clerk); Lurgan Rural Council (Messrs. J. Walsh, J.P., chairman, and G.H. Gracey); Armagh Grand Orange Lodge (Sir James H. Stronge, D.M.; Rev. R.J. Wham, County Grand Chaplain, and Mr G Crosier, County Grand Secretary).        

HIS GRACE’S ADDRESS

Replying to the addresses His Grace said:- “It gives the Duchess of Abercorn and myself very great pleasure indeed to visit this ancient and beautiful city.” The warmth of your welcome has touched us very much indeed, and I would ask you to convey to the bodies which you represent my sincere thanks for those loyal and dutiful addresses, which express a spirit of extreme friendship towards my wife, and myself.”

“The main purpose of my visit to your city today is to perform what is, in many ways, an extremely sad ceremony, but I feel that this setting up of memorials to those of our race who fell in the great war is a duty of this generation, and an example to all those who follow after.”    

“Our thoughts to-day inevitably turn towards those who lost their lives in that great struggle, but I would ask you at the same time to remember that there are many amongst us who are suffering and many who are in need, and therefore I would     charge you never to forget the ex-service men and women.”

“I hope today to take advantage of my visit to see some portion of your city, and I am indeed glad to have this opportunity of meeting the representatives of the many and varied interests in the City of Armagh and neighbour.”

“I feel, myself that the troublesome times through which we have lately lived are passing away, and there is a prospect of increased prosperity for our native land, and with this hope I express the wish that the city and the county of Armagh may share to the full in these better times.”

THE  MEMORIAL

A  Tribute and Remembrance

The Right Hon. Sir James H. Stronge, D.L., said that it was only natural that a monument of that kind should have received considerable support from a wide radius of country, but it was mainly the memorial of the citizens of Armagh. Time softened memories, but it did not obliterate them. They still felt the same sense of regret for those who did not return on the day peace was declared.

They also felt a deep sense of pride at the way in which their young men and women responded to the call of duty and patriotism. They felt that the honour of England and of Ulster were at stake.

EXPRESSION OF FEELING

 They desired that those feelings should find expression in the memorial erected. He thought they had been singularly spectator a sense of living regret and a sense of pride. The singing of the hymn, “O, God our Help in ages past,” followed, and then his Grace drew aside the veil which covered the memorial, on which was inscribed, “For Remembrance, Armagh. To Her Children Who Fought and Fell in the Great War, in Sorrow, in Thanksgiving, and in Hope.”

The dedicatory prayer was pronounced by the Primate of All Ireland (Rev. Charles F. D’Arcy, D.D.), and the “Last Post” sounded by buglers of the Royal Irish Rifles. The Moderator of the General Assembly ( (Rev. R.K. Hanna) read the lesson  and the President of the Methodist in Ireland  (Rev. E. B. Cullen, M.A.) offered prayer.

SO MANY NAMES.

When the final notes of “The Reveille” had died away Major J. C. Boyle, D.L., High Sheriff, on behalf of the Memorial Committee and the Mall Trustees, handed over the memorials to the Armagh County Council. He said the committee found so many were the names that it was impossible to obtain them all.  Therefore rather than omit one of them the committee had decided to have none. He handed over also the Russian gun, a memorial of the Crimean War, and the South African War Memorial.

Mr. Thomas A. Montgomery, D.L., the chairman of the County Council, accepted the memorials.

The wreath of her Grace the Duchess of Abercorn was the first of numerous beautiful floral tributes to be placed at the base of the memorial.

The guard of honour was furnished by Royal Ulster Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusilier, the former being under Captain M. Tate and Sergeant-Major A. Ward, and the latter under Lieut.-Col., Gregg, whilst the British Legion were in command of Captain R. Whitsitt.

On behalf of the Legion, Mr. David Humphries, who was probably the first Armagh soldier to lose a limb, placed a wreath on the memorial. There were also wreaths from L.O.L., 109, the RUR, R.I.F. and R.I.C.

The Duchess was presented by Mrs. Boyle, wife of the High Sheriff, with a damask table cloth and napkins, products of the district.   

THE LUNCHEON

Honouring the Governor

The City of Armagh Entertainment Committee gave a luncheon in honour of his Grace. The Lord Primate proposed the toast of “His Grace the Governor” said they welcomed him, because he stood for the majesty of the Throne of England -(applause)- Great Britain and Ireland and the Dominions beyond the seas.

They welcomed him also because he was an Ulsterman- (hear, hear)- foremost amongst Ulstermen and an Irishman- (hear, hear)- but in addition to that he had the wonderful position of being head of a great historic family with glorious traditions. They were happy that his Grace had with him that day the Duchess of Abercorn-(applause)- and to her also they extended a very hearty welcome.

Armagh continued the Primate, was an historic spot. It dated from the time of St. Patrick, who came there in 444 or 445. The apostle of Ireland, with the eye of a statesman, picked out that spot to be the centre of their growth and splendid development. The glory of Armagh, was its antiquity, the glory of those other places was their modernity, and which glory was the greater he left his hearers to decide.

ANCIENT POSSESSIONS.

Armagh had passed through many vicissitudes, but there it stood to-day, an ancient city with the marks of its antiquity and many beautiful relics of the past. There was a great deal to be seen there, and sometimes he thought the Ulster people forgot the possession that they had in that ancient centre- which was worth remembering. They had all felt deeply impressed by the occasion and the purpose of that visit of the Governor. They had seen many very striking war memorials, but he did not think anywhere would they find a war memorial more marked by artistic charm and beauty than that which adorned the city of Armagh. As they looked upon it their minds went back to the tremendous years of the war and they thought of how their feeling varied from something almost approaching despair until there came that almost miraculous victory.  That monument expressed their sorrow as they thought of the loss of those gallant men and women. Armagh thought of her children as she looked upon that monument. She thought of the sorrow, and from the sorrow she turned to joy and thanksgiving when she realised the victory that God wrought by their hand. Then it expressed also for them the hope of better times and the hope of a brighter and better world. (Applause)

THE GOVERNOR’S REPLY.

His Grace the Governor returned thanks for the cordial greeting and welcome.  That was their first official visit; he hoped it would not be their last.  He came there to unveil their war memorial, a memorial well worthy of their historic and beautiful city. He always thought that those memorials were not only for the men who served in the war, they should be handed down to future generations in memory of the women who stayed at home and waited. (Hear, hear.) He was not sure in some ways it might not have been harder for them than for the men who went out. Those men’s minds were fully employed, whereas the women, many of them in humble homes, who could take no active part, could only sit at home and wait till, alas! the fatal telegram came.

Proceeding, his Grace said through the county regiment the Royal Irish Fusiliers, there had passed through during the war 10,000 men -(applause)- a record of which they might well be proud.  It was a matter for great regret that its depot had had to be removed from Armagh to Omagh. He knew it was only necessary for drastic economy that had caused it; but as a Tyrone man he should say that the regiment was heartily welcomed in Omagh. Personally he hoped that the one battalion would expand into two, and that there would be two battalions of those famous Ulster regiments- the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Fusiliers. (Applause)

THE UNEMPLOYED.

Major, Boyle proposed “His Majesty’s Forces.”

Lieutenant-Colonel Gregg, D.S.O., in a reply appealed to his hearers, if they had a chance, to remember those poor men who had not got a job. “See what you can do for them,” he said. “There may be a few rotters, but they are not all rotters-99 per cent., of them are not. Give them a chance and they will work.”

Northern Whig 11th December 1926.