Great to have another "Wild Goose" from Australia join our budding, but rapidly expanding community here. I'm interested in your profile photo -- who is that, and what era?
Hope you'll chime in on blog posts, discussions, contests, etc. here over the coming weeks / months / years. It's a fun place, and a place where we can all learn a great deal about our shared Irish heritage.
Kerry, looks a bit like you, this soldier, I'm guessing. Perhaps your grandfather in a shot from The Great War? Cead mile failte to The Wild Geese! Ger
It's took me a bit to figure out how to reply. I'm gunna need a bit of time to get around ya site.
That's my grandfather Con, No 20 Corporal Patrick Cornelius Casey, Military Medal, 13th Battalion 1st AIF (WWI). He was the Australian born son of Irish immigrants Michael from Glenanaar and Minnie (née Nagle) from Glenosheen in the Ballyhoura Mountains on the Limerick/Cork border.
He was an Anzac Original (at the landing on April 25 1915) & spent 26 months AWL in Ireland between August 1917 and October 1919. There he was involved with his uncle Patrick, who had the family farm, of the Doneraile Company IV with Liam Lynch's North Cork Brigade of the IRA.
I am working on a Research Masters thesis at the Australian Defence force Academy on Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought for Ireland: The Diggers and the IRA.
This year I made the Easter 16 Commemoration speech at Sydney's Republican Monument at Waverley Cemetery where I publicly announced for the first time the names and stories of a half dozen off these Wild Geese.
Wow ... what a cool story! That's great stuff, Kerry. Thanks so much for sharing that. Would you be willing to do a bit of blogging about these things here on this site? People here would love to read about that.
I for one will be anxious to read that. I became aware of the heroism of the Anzacs through the songs of Scots/Aussie singer Eric Bogle. A lot of the Anzacs went to Palestine and to Gallipoli; the latter was almost a suicidal effort.
That there were Anzacs of Irish ancestry who fought for Ireland is fascinating stuff. Hope to read more about it.
Last night I went to a talk at our local library about the Doughboys, the American soldiers of the Great War. A local teacher does a "living history" talk, dressing up in the wool uniform and demonstrating the equipment and some of the weapons of the war. It was outstanding.
Ryan O'Rourke
Hi, Kerry.
Great to have another "Wild Goose" from Australia join our budding, but rapidly expanding community here. I'm interested in your profile photo -- who is that, and what era?
Hope you'll chime in on blog posts, discussions, contests, etc. here over the coming weeks / months / years. It's a fun place, and a place where we can all learn a great deal about our shared Irish heritage.
Welcome aboard, Kerry!
~ Ryan
May 16, 2013
Gerry Regan
Kerry, looks a bit like you, this soldier, I'm guessing. Perhaps your grandfather in a shot from The Great War? Cead mile failte to The Wild Geese! Ger
May 17, 2013
Kerry Casey
G'day Ryan and Gerry
It's took me a bit to figure out how to reply. I'm gunna need a bit of time to get around ya site.
May 17, 2013
Ryan O'Rourke
Wow ... what a cool story! That's great stuff, Kerry. Thanks so much for sharing that. Would you be willing to do a bit of blogging about these things here on this site? People here would love to read about that.
May 18, 2013
Jim Curley
That there were Anzacs of Irish ancestry who fought for Ireland is fascinating stuff. Hope to read more about it.
Last night I went to a talk at our local library about the Doughboys, the American soldiers of the Great War. A local teacher does a "living history" talk, dressing up in the wool uniform and demonstrating the equipment and some of the weapons of the war. It was outstanding.
May 21, 2013