Birthplace of Rifleman Luke Delaney WW1 War Veteran

Join us for tea/coffee and a talk from John Smith, local historian, on Luke Delaney, the involvement of his regiment in WW1 and why Luke may have joined the army. John will discuss the political context of the time, i.e., Redmond's call for Irish men to join the British armed forces to accelerate Home Rule, and how after 1918 soldiers, such as Luke, have been remembered, or completely forgotten about, when the political landscape utterly changed.


The event is to commemorate Rifleman Luke Delaney 8122 'A' COY 2nd Battalion. Royal Irish Rifles who was killed in action in Belgium on the 8th November 1914, age 27, at the start of the First World War. He is remembered with Honour with his name inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium where the Last Post is sounded every evening at 8pm to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers of WW1 with no known war graves.

In 2019 the committee undertook the restoration and refurbishment of the birthplace of WW1 Veteran Luke Delaney to its original state while preserving the historical character and maintaining its architectural style. Original features were meticulously preserved in the renovation process and the interior was fitted out with furniture of its time and utilities of that era, 1914 – 1918. The house includes mannequins to depict the residents on the day Luke Delaney departed to the battlefields of the western Front. We believe this project is the only restored homestead of a War Veteran in Cavan. Following research from Census 1901, 1911, OSI Ireland, Local Birth register, and information from the Somme Heritage Centre Newtownards Co. Down, we can piece together the story of Luke Delaney, born 21 May 1887 and his path to the great war.

The committee would like to acknowledge the support of Cavan LEADER, Cavan Co. Council and Cavan LCDC PEACE IV Partnership