Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 1 May 2025

Exhibition on the Last General Absolution of the Munster Fusilliers

A new exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the unveiling of the Cork War Memorial on the South Mall, on 17 March 1925, has opened in Cork Public Museum in Fitzgerald’s Park.The exhibition entitled The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue de Bois can be viewed until 22 May.

The main feature of the exhibition is the earliest known painted copy of the iconic Great War painting, The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois by Italian artist, Fortunino Matania. Daniel Breen, Curator of Cork Public Museum has noted that Cork Public Museum is “delighted to be able to display this wonderful and historic painting to the public for the first time ever”.

The painting illustrates the 2^nd Battalion of Royal Munster Fusiliers receiving general absolution on the eve of the Battle of Aubers Ridge from their chaplain, Father Gleeson adjacent a roadside shrine on the Rue du Bois in France on 8 May 1915. The scene is based on eyewitness accounts gathered by Jessie Rickard, the widow of Lieutenant-Colonel Victor Rickard, who was killed in the battle.

The following day, the British Army lost 11,000 men, dead or wounded, during the Battle of Aubers Ridge, of which 300 came from the 2^nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. Of these 300, 95% were Irish, with at least 50 connected to Cork City and County.

Interpretative panels at the museum outline that the painting was published in the British magazine, The Sphere, on 27 November 1916. It was so popular that large numbers of prints were later sold by the magazine. It was also published in the Irish publication, The Weekly Freeman’s. After the war many households in Cork displayed a copy of the print to honour family members who took part in the conflict.

The original painting is believed to have been lost in the bombing of London during the Second World War. However, the version currently on display at Cork Public Museum was particularly commissioned from the artist in 1919 by Alfred Robinson to hail the safe return of his son Lieutenant Alfred Esmond Robinson MC and Bar, from the war. The painting remained with the Robinson family until it was sold at auction last year. Thankfully, it was purchased by Willie and Mary Slattery from Dublin who very generously loaned it to Cork Public Museum for public display.

Interpretation panels on the artist Fortunino Matania outlines that he was a painter, draughtsman and miniaturist who focussed on historical subjects. Born in Naples on 16 April 1881, he studied art with his father, Eduardo Matania, a prominent artist for the Italian weekly, L’Illustrazione. At the age of eleven, he exhibited his first work at the Naples Academy. Three years later, he followed in his father’s footsteps and was employed as an artist by L’Illustrazione.

At the age of twenty, Matania moved to Paris to work with lustration Francaise. Then, in 1904, he moved to London after Clement Shorter, editor of the British illustrated magazine The Sphere, employed him to create illustrations of news events from around the world. His pictures were frequently based on eye-witness accounts and became known for their authenticity and photorealistic quality.

Matania produced some of his most famous work while working at The Sphere, including detailed illustrations of many different events from the Great War. To ensure these pictures had a high degree of accuracy, Matania visited the Front at several times in order to view the circumstances faced by military personnel.

The Museum’s interpretative panels also outline that the painting was stirred by the 1915 book The Story of the Munsters, which was written by Jessie Rickard, a well-known novelist and wife of Colonel Victor Rickard, one of the officers depicted in the painting and who also lost his life during the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Though Dublin-born, Jessie Rickard spent much of her life in Cork. 

Jessie was born in Dublin in 1876. She was the daughter of Canon Courtney Moore, Anglican Rector, noted antiquarian and founder of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, and his wife, Jessie Mona Duff. She spent most of her youth in Mitchelstown, County Cork. When she was eighteen years old, she penned a series of hunting sketches that appeared in The Cork Examiner. These were followed by a hunting story, The Price of a Friend, which appeared in The Irish Times. In October 1901, Jessie married Robert Dudley Innes Ackland. Though the couple had a daughter in 1902, they divorced in 1907, causing a rift between Jessie and her father. The following year, Jessie married Victor Rickard and in 1913, the couple had a son.

After Victor Rickard was killed at Aubers Ridge Jessie published four articles on the Royal Munster Fusiliers in the journal New Ireland. Her account of the Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois on 8 May 1915, shaped the basis of the painting, which served as a visual memorial to her husband and his men. The articles also appeared in the British magazine, The Sphere, and in her book, The Story of the Munsters at Etreux, Festubert, Rue du Bois and Hulloch, which was published in 1918.

In 1916, Jessie married Lieutenant Colonel Tudor Fitzjohn, but the couple divorced in 1935. During her life she wrote over forty novels which were published under the name Mrs Victor Rickard.

Jessie was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 1925, and in 1946 she came to Cork and resided in Montenotte – home of Denis Gwynn, an old friend and Professor of Modern Irish History at UCC. Jessie Rickard died on 28 January 1963 and is buried in Rathcooney Cemetery in Cork.

The Cork Public Museum exhibition also reflects upon the lives and experiences of some of the men portrayed in the painting, using original object and personal possessions to voice their stories, including that of Private Christy Barry, of Douglas Street, who was present for the last absolution and who also lost his life in the following day’s battle.

May Walking Tours with Kieran (All free, two hours, no booking required). 

Friday evening, 2 May, Cork South Docklands, Historical walking tour, Discover the history of the city’s docks,  from quayside stories to the City Park Race Course and Albert Road; meet at Kennedy Park, Victoria Road, 6.30pm.

Saturday afternoon, 3 May, The Northern Ridge, St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour of the area around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 2pm. 

Saturday afternoon, 24 May, Stories from Blackrock and Mahon, Historical walking tour of Blackrock Village, from Blackrock Castle to Nineteenth Century Houses and Fishing; meet in adjacent carpark at base of Blackrock Castle, 2pm.

Sunday evening, 25 May, The Lough and its Curiosities, historical walking tour; meet at green area at northern green of The Lough, entrance of Lough Road to The Lough, Lough Church end; 6.30pm (free, 2 hours, no booking required).

Friday evening, 30 May, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 6.30pm.

Caption:

1302a. Picture of the Copy of the painting of The Last Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois  at Cork Public Museum, May 2025 (source: Cork Public Museum).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 24 April 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The Lest We Forget Inscription

On 17 March 1925 at the new Great War Memorial on Cork’s South Mall General Stanish Harrison, who was a former commanding officer of the Royal Munsters, having formerly served with the King’s Liverpool Regiment, unveiled the memorial. He was extended a very hearty welcome by the Independent Ex-Service Men’s Club who commissioned the memorial.

The Cork Examiner, the following day, after the unveiling outlined the event and the speeches given. General Harrison said he considered it a very great honour to be asked to come to Cork to unveil such a memorial to the comrades whom they had lost. He deemed the event as one of mourning and remembrance to those who sacrificed their lives;

“Their comrades had shown them the road – God bless them and God bless all those whom they had left behind and bring them happiness in the present life until the time came for them to join their former comrades. The monument was erected to the memories of some one thousand men, though that was not anything like the number of men who made the supreme sacrifice from the county of Cork. It was a very worthy monument, and I have great pleasure in unveiling it”.

General Harrison availed of the occasion to ask the Government of the country to see their way to help the families of those who had fallen and also to help many of whom who had connections to the war and who were now poor and hungry. He commented; “They deserve every help that the Government could give them, and I feel sure that such help would be forthcoming. God save the King and God save Ireland”.

At this stage General Harrison drew the Union Jack from the monument and the memorial was unveiled to the sounding of the Reveille by a party of massed buglers, directed by bands master Mr Deane of the Greenmount Industrial School Band.

Deputy Michael Egan TD, a Cumann na nGaedheal or government representative, then addressed the gathering and said it was his proud privilege to be associated with the ceremony of the unveiling of that beautiful monument to the men who went out and fought and died so that their fellow countrymen and women could live in peace. He noted his support of the unveiling; “I am glad to be associated with the body of men who came together and showed they had not forgotten their fallen comrades by erecting that memorial to their memory. It had for its motto appropriate words, Lest We Forget, because it was their duty not to forget the brave deeds of the men who went out and died on behalf of the small nations of the world”.

Deputy Egan continued that when a question was raised in connection with the erection of the monument some friends and himself stepped up because they saw no reason why Irishmen who died abroad could not be remembered by the people whom they served, and a memorial put up to their memory in their native city. He called upon the Irish Free State government to pursue their duty to see that the men who went out and fought, as well as the dependents of those who fell in the fight should be well catered for, and not be allowed to go into poverty and distress; “As far as I am concerned it is my duty to assist in every way in seeing that they would be well looked after…I promise that whatever I can do on their behalf would be readily done”.

            Cllr John Horgan said he was also delighted at the opportunity afforded him by the invitation of the ex-servicemen of being present and to speak at the unveiling of such a beautiful monument to the men, who in his opinion, did as much as any people in Ireland in order that the people of the country might be free. He continued; “They have contributed very largely to the measure of freedom that their country had obtained…I remember well when the rallying cry for the freedom of small nations rang out, how the men of Cork responded in order to achieve such an object, and particularly to prove the right of their own land to win its liberty. They fought on many fronts and willingly gave their lives for freedom that they believed every small nation was entitled to, and it was only fitting that their memories should be properly honoured. When application for the erection of that memorial was made to the Corporation I supported it, because I believed at the time that it was only fitting that a suitable memorial should be erected to such men in their native city”.

Cllr Horgan continued that the monument’s motto “Lest We Forget” typified friendship and comradeship of their fallen comrades, colleagues and proved that the memory of those who fell would always remain with them. He deemed that the “silent monument was a standing tribute of the affection of those who were left behind” and that they were all delighted at that opportunity of honouring the memory of their fallen comrades.

Fr Scannell then spoke. He commented that he was also delighted to be associated with the function and reflected upon the Lest We Forget inscribing; and the sacrifice and patriotism; “The monument bears the inscription ’Lest We Forget’. We cannot forget. I will never forget, and neither will any man who was out in France and on the other fronts with the Irish troops. We will never forget the bravery of the Irish soldiers who fought and died and the edification they gave to all who came in contact with them. We will never forget their edification in patriotism, and their sanctity in life and death. That religious edification, and patriotism should always be remembered for the Irish troops, and, therefore, it was fitting that such a monument should be erected”.

In addition Fr Scannell congratulated them on selecting that day, the feast of Ireland’s Patron Saint, St Patrick, for the unveiling of the monument, as it was, in his opinion, “a fitting day for such a ceremony”.

Next April Historical Walking Tours with Kieran, All tours free, 2 hours, no booking required

Saturday 26 April, The Cork City Workhouse Tour; learn about Cork City’s workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 1pm.

Sunday 27 April, Fitzgerald’s Park: The People’s Park Tour, from stories on the Mardyke to the Cork International Exhibition, meet at the band stand, 1pm.

Caption:

1301a. Unveiling the Great War Memorial, South Mall, 17 March 1925 (source: Cork Public Museum).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 17 April 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – Unveiling the Great War Memorial

In the winter of 1924 to the spring of 1925 fundraising for the Great War memorial on Cork’s South Mall continued at pace. A design was also chosen by the Cork Independent Ex-Servicemen Club. Denis Sharkey, a Cork sculptor, was chosen. An Irish Examiner advertisement on 16 April 1898 denotes that Denis had just taken over his father’s business. The D Sharkey Marble and Monumental Works was originally based at High Street and then moved 102 Douglas Street. An advertisement for Denis on 17 April 1912 locates him at Blackpool Bridge and details that the business made crosses, headstones, chase and original designs.

A delay in the quarrying of stone at Ballinasloe in County Galway for the Great War memorial meant that the original plan for a November 1924 unveiling was missed. In a meeting of the Cork War Memorial Committee in early March 1925, committee member Mr P Byrne noted that it was great pity that they had to disappoint the public on Armistice Day. He outlined that the quarries in Ballinasloe were flooded due to heavy storms. However, since they received the stone, good progress had been made by the contractor on the execution of the work. Mr Byrne continues that he had been interviewed by several relatives of the fallen with reference to their names being inscribed on the stone. He noted that the charge for inscription was very reasonable and he hoped that many more would avail of the opportunity to have the names of their relatives inscribed on the monument.

Mr T O’Neill highlighted that there was no doubt that great credit was due to the committee in general. It was their first attempt in organising such a large project. He hoped that their Flag Day on 14 March 1925, which was entitled “Forget Me Not Day” would be generously supported.

On 17 March 1925, the unveiling of the Great War memorial took place at the South Mall, the ceremony being performed by General Standish Harrison, late commanding officer of Royal Munster Fusiliers’ Depot, who took the salute from the foot of the memorial. Many thousands of ex-servicemen, and widows and orphans of the men in whose honour the memorial was erected, were present at the ceremony.

The Cork Examiner describes that the day’s programme was an elaborate one and opened with parades of ex-Servicemen at eleven o’clock. The two organisations in Cork – the Cork Independent Ex-Servicemen and the Cork branch of the British Legion – participated. They were led by General Harrison and members of the Executive Committee of both parties, marched to the Cathedral, where they attended High Mass.

The High Mass at the North Cathedral was celebrated by Bishop Cohalan. A large number of the city’s clergy were present. There was an immense congregation in the church composed chiefly of those taking part in the subsequent procession and unveiling ceremony. At the conclusion of the Mass the Roman Catholic party was joined by the Protestant party, who had formed up on St Mary’s Road, and the procession to the South Mall then commenced.

The Cork Examiner describes that the procession included several thousand ex-servicemen wearing their military decorations and led by their old officers, a large number of ladies bearing beautiful wreaths, relatives of the fallen men, many children wearing the medals of their dead fathers, and a big number of the general public. Six bands were in attendance – these being the Independent Ex-servicemen’s Band, the Legion Band, the Parnell Guards, the Barrack Street Band, the Greenmount Industrial School Band, and the Lee Pipers’ Band.

Fr Scannell – also wearing his military decorations – walked at the head of the members of the Cork branch of the British Legion. Immediately preceding these in the procession was General Harrison’s carriage, in which were the General and Gerald Byrne, chairman of the Cork Independent Ex-servicemen, J R Connolly, chairman of the Cork branch of the British Legion, and J Lee, secretary of the War Memorial Committee.

The procession route followed was via Shandon Street and Pope’s Quay to Bridge Street, and then by MacCurtain Street, Brian Born Bridge, Merchant’s Quay, St Patrick’s Street, and the Grand Parade, to the Memorial at the western end of the South Mall. Thousands lined the streets through which the procession passed.

When the memorial was reached at 2.15pm, the executives of both organisations formed up on three sides of a square surrounding the baseof themonument, while relatives of the fallen men and public representatives were accommodated inside the railings of the little park in which the memorial stands.

Under the direction of Bandmaster Mr Deane, Greenmount Industrial School Band, buglers drawn from both of the ex-servicemen’s organisations sounded the Last Post, and immediately afterwards the ceremonies associated with the unveiling commenced.

The Chairman, Gerald Byrne, said there were assembled to unveil a monument to their comrades who fell on the different fronts fighting for the freedom of small nations. He desired to thank, on behalf of the Cork Independent Ex-Service Men, General Harrison for coming to the city to unveil the memorial. He also thanked for their attendance, Mr Michael Egan, Mr John Horgan and Mr D F Doyle, who had been their friends throughout the period of the erection of the monument, and in addition to Fr Scannell who was at their service at all times. 

Caption:

1300a. Denis Sharkey’s original sketch for the First World Memorial, South Mall, c.1924 (source: Francis O’Connor & Cork Public Museum).

Next April Historical Walking Tours with Kieran, All tours free, 2 hours, no booking required

Saturday 26 April, The Cork City Workhouse Tour; learn about Cork City’s workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 1pm.

Sunday 27 April, Fitzgerald’s Park: The People’s Park Tour, from stories on the Mardyke to the Cork International Exhibition, meet at the band stand, 1pm.