Hosted by the Glasnevin Cemetery Museum, President Michael D. Higgins led a ceremony to dedicate the newly installed Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, on Thursday, 31 July 2014.
The foundation stone of the Cross of Sacrifice, which is the first of its kind in the Irish Republic, was laid on 31 March 2014 by Mr Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and An Gaeltacht, and Ms Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The seven meter cross, consisting of blue limestone from Threecastles Quarry in County Kilkenny, was crafted by McKeon Stone of Stradbally in County Laois. The project was a cooperative venture between the Glasnevin Trust and the Commonwealth Graves Commission (CWGC).
The Cross of Sacrifice is a standard CWGC memorial, designed by Sir Kenneth Blomfield (1856-1942), who designed the template monument for the War Graves Commission. Consisting of a cross embedded with a bronze sword with its blade pointing down, mounted on an octagonal base, Cross of Sacrifice is erected in cemeteries containing more than 40 graves of soldiers commemorated by the CWGC.
Glasnevin Cemetery contains 166 Commonwealth burials from the First World War, with another 41 burials from the Second World War.
The Cross of Sacrifice was erected at Glasnevin’s ceremonial plaza, close to two screen walls on which are carved the names of Irish people who died in both world wars while serving in British or Allied forces, and close also to the graves of renowned figures of Irish nationalism, Charles Steward Parnell, Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera.
The dedication ceremony was performed on 31 July by President Michael D Higgins and HRH Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent KG, who is president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Personnel of the Defence Forces and the Royal Irish Regiment of the British Army participated in the ceremony. A Defence Forces Ceremonial Guard of Honour was provided by the 2 Artillery Regiment. Two colour parties, drawn from the 12 Infantry Battalion and the 2 Infantry Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment were in attendance. A combined military band, comprised of musicians of the Army No1 Band and the Band of the Royal Engineers, played appropriate music during the ceremony, including the Last Post, Reveille and the National Anthems of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Dignitaries in attendance included the Lord Mayor of Dublin Mr Christy Burke and the Lord Mayor of Belfast Ms Nichola Mallon, the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht Mrs Heather Humphreys TD, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, His Excellency Dominick Chilcott, Ms Deirdre Mills Director UK Operations, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, ambassadors from several countries and representatives of the office of First and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.
In his address, President Michael D Higgins stated inter alia:
“It is important that the First World War, and those whose lives it claimed, be not left as a blank space in Irish history. Today therefore is a significant day, as we dedicate this Cross of Sacrifice – the first such Cross to be erected in the Republic of Ireland.
On an occasion such as this we eliminate all the barriers that have stood between those Irish soldiers whose lives were taken in the war, whose remains for which we have responsibility, and whose memories we have a duty to respect.
Today, on the eve of the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, we are invited to remember with authenticity and historical accuracy the sacrifice of so many Irish men and women who fought alongside soldiers from different nations, backgrounds and social circumstances.
Let us now, together, cultivate memory as a tool for the living and as a sure base for the future – memory employed in the task of building peace.”
The Duke of Kent said it was an important step in the continuing process of remembering those who died: “It represents a lasting tribute to their sacrifice and it is my hope, in the years to come, that memorials such as these continue to inspire successive generations to remember.”
Speaking at the ceremony in her capacity as Chair of the Decade of Centenaries Commemoration Programme, Minister Humphreys said “This is a momentous occasion, and also a poignant one, as we remember the thousands of Irish soldiers who gave their lives in the World Wars. For many people, the centenary of World War 1 relates to the life and experiences of their parents, grand-parents and their siblings.”
Mr McCullough, Chief Executive of the Glasnevin Trust, stated, inter alia, “We are very proud to have this cross here as part of our long association with the Commonwealth War Grace Commission and as a consequence of both the nationalist and unionist traditions in Ireland realising that all of those men who died in the first World War died together and for the same reason.”
The CWGC maintains directly the graves of 1.7 million servicemen and women who died in both world wars at 23,000 locations in 153 countries and on all continents except Antarctica. In Ireland, some 3,000 Commonwealth war dead are buried at 670 locations, with graves in many instances maintained in partnership between the Commission and the Office of Public Works.
The Cross of Sacrifice is intended as a monument to them all.
