All Discussions Tagged 'Military History' - The Wild Geese2024-03-29T07:06:19Zhttps://thewildgeese.irish/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=Military+History&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe Meaning of the Poppytag:thewildgeese.irish,2014-11-11:6442157:Topic:1270962014-11-11T16:10:22.562ZJim Curleyhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/JimCurley
<p>Here is a copy of the letter written by a Wigan soccer player to his club's owner on why he is not wearing the poppy on his uniform. What say the members of TWG?<br></br> <br></br> Dear Mr Whelan<br></br> <br></br> I wanted to write to you before talking about this face to face and explain my reasons for not wearing a poppy on my shirt for the game at Bolton.<br></br> <br></br> I have complete respect for those who fought and died in both World Wars - many I know were Irish-born. I have been told that your own…</p>
<p>Here is a copy of the letter written by a Wigan soccer player to his club's owner on why he is not wearing the poppy on his uniform. What say the members of TWG?<br/> <br/> Dear Mr Whelan<br/> <br/> I wanted to write to you before talking about this face to face and explain my reasons for not wearing a poppy on my shirt for the game at Bolton.<br/> <br/> I have complete respect for those who fought and died in both World Wars - many I know were Irish-born. I have been told that your own Grandfather Paddy Whelan, from Tipperary, was one of those.<br/> <br/> I mourn their deaths like every other decent person and if the Poppy was a symbol only for the lost souls of World War I and II I would wear one.<br/> <br/> I want to make that 100% clear .You must understand this.<br/> <br/> But the Poppy is used to remember victims of other conflicts since 1945 and this is where the problem starts for me.<br/> <br/> For people from the North of Ireland such as myself, and specifically those in Derry, scene of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, the poppy has come to mean something very different. Please understand, Mr Whelan, that when you come from Creggan like myself or the Bogside, Brandywell or the majority of places in Derry, every person still lives in the shadow of one of the darkest days in Ireland’s history – even if like me you were born nearly 20 years after the event. It is just a part of who we are, ingrained into us from birth.<br/> <br/> Mr Whelan, for me to wear a poppy would be as much a gesture of disrespect for the innocent people who lost their lives in the Troubles – and Bloody Sunday especially - as I have in the past been accused of disrespecting the victims of WWI and WWII.<br/> <br/> It would be seen as an act of disrespect to those people; to my people.<br/> <br/> I am not a war monger, or anti-British, or a terrorist or any of the accusations levelled at me in the past. I am a peaceful guy, I believe everyone should live side by side, whatever their religious or political beliefs which I respect and ask for people to respect mine in return. Since last year, I am a father and I want my daughter to grow up in a peaceful world, like any parent.<br/> <br/> I am very proud of where I come from and I just cannot do something that I believe is wrong. In life, if you’re a man you should stand up for what you believe in.<br/> <br/> I know you may not agree with my feelings but I hope very much that you understand my reasons.<br/> <br/> As the owner of the club I am proud to play for, I believe I owe both you and the club’s supporters this explanation.<br/> <br/> Yours sincerely,<br/> <br/> James McClean</p> Memorial Day: Recalling Those Irish-Americans Who Gave Their Last Full Measuretag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-05-30:6442157:Topic:236532013-05-30T15:54:30.760ZThe Wild Geesehttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/TheWildGeese
<p><strong><span class="font-size-5"><span class="font-size-7" style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84712152?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84712152?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> T</span></span>he origins of Memorial Day</strong>, originally titled Decoration Day, has a somewhat murky origin. But what is clear is that on May 30, 1868, 145 years ago today, 5,000 gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the 20,000 fallen warriors buried…</p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-5"><span class="font-size-7" style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84712152?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84712152?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-full" width="750"/></a>T</span></span>he origins of Memorial Day</strong>, originally titled Decoration Day, has a somewhat murky origin. But what is clear is that on May 30, 1868, 145 years ago today, 5,000 gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the 20,000 fallen warriors buried there, with the help of remarks by General and future President <strong>James Garfield</strong>, whose ancestors reputedly arrived from Ulster. It was the first commemoration of America's war dead with nationwide aspirations.</p>
<p>Our present-day Memorial Day rites have their genesis in America's Civil War, which ended only three years earlier, after taking the lives of more than 600,000 during its four-year span. Perhaps as many as 200,000 Irish and Irish Americans served during the conflict, with tens of thousands losing their lives.</p>
<p>On this poignant occasion, we'd love to learn more about your <span style="color: #008000;"><strong>Irish</strong></span> or <strong><span style="color: #008000;">Irish-American</span></strong> ancestors' military experiences serving the United States during wartime, particularly if they are among the many thousands who died while serving.</p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">RELATED RESOURCES</span>:</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Memorial Day Discussion</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/memorial-day-wall-of-honor" target="_self">Memorial Day Wall of Honor</a></p>
<p><strong>Memorial Day History</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2" target="_blank">USMemorialDay.org</a><br/> * <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history" target="_blank">History.com</a></p>
<p><strong>Irish During America's Civil War</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/remembering-the-irish-who-fell-at-fredericksburg" target="_self">Remembering the Irish Who Fell at Fredericksburg</a><a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/remembering-the-irish-who-fell-at-fredericksburg"><br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/for-erin-and-america-james-mckay-rorty" target="_self">For Erin and America - James McKay Rorty<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/born-a-soldier-myles-walter-keogh-part-1-of-3-from-carlow-to" target="_self">'Born a Soldier': Myles Walter Keogh - Part 1 of 3<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/video/myles-keogh-born-a-soldier" target="_self">Video: Myles Keogh -- Born a Soldier<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/private-willie-mitchel-an-irish-confederate-boy" target="_self">Private Willie Mitchel: An Irish Confederate Boy<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/video/irish-brigade-memorial-gettysburg-battlefield" target="_self">Video: Irish Brigade Memorial-Gettysburg Battlefield</a></p>
<p><strong>Famed Irish-American Regiments</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/the-fighting-69th-part-1" target="_self">'The Fighting 69th' Part 1<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/corcoran-part-1-from-bane-to-toast-of-the-nation" target="_self">Corcoran: Part 1: From Bane to Toast of the Nation</a></p>
<p><strong>America's Medal of Honor</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/irish-dominate-medal-of-honor-list" target="_self">Irish Dominate Medal of Honor List<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blog/show?id=6442157%3ABlogPost%3A70260&commentId=6442157%3AComment%3A71131" target="_self">Lt. Michael P. Murphy, the Medal of Honor Awardee Behind 'Lone Survivor'<br/></a> * <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/lcpl-patrick-gallagher-courage-worthy-of-the-foremost-recognition" target="_self">LCpl Patrick Gallagher, Courage Worthy of the Foremost Recognition</a></p>
<p><strong>Honoring Our Ancestors</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/a-soldier-s-story-sgt-lawrence-f-condon" target="_self">A Soldier's Story: Sgt. Lawrence F. Condon</a></p>
<p><strong>Irish-Americans in the Revolutionary War</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/paddy-colvin-s-unforgettable-new-year" target="_self">Paddy Colvin's Unforgettable New Year</a><a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/a-soldier-s-story-sgt-lawrence-f-condon" target="_self"><br/> <br/></a></p>
<p><em>(Note: This list is far from comprehensive. Please add to it in the comments section below any pages that you find meritorious, whether on TheWildGeese.com or elsewhere.) </em></p>
<p></p>