Alexander Burke on War Memorial

Hi Tom

I am definately booked now -arriving early on the 21st November and catching a late ferry back to UK 28th November  (Fishguard - Rosslare and vice versa).  At the moment my diary is free as I am starting to put my itinerary together now.  Could we arrange a day for me to call in to you at Portlaoise and share my research with you or will you be in Cahir anytime around that time?

I know Cahir pretty well from holidays there as a kid, but not as well as you will. I would like to meet you and share what I have as a family tree for any guidance you could offer as to where I could go next.  Alexander Burke (d1916) who is on the Cahir war memorial and buried in Ballydrinan old cemetery was my gt grandfather and he had an eventful army career, with the Royal Artillery, enlisting in 1896 and going through 2 court martials resulting in his leaving the service in 1903. (incorrigible and worthless).  He reenlisted with the Royal Irish Regiment for WW1 (family story is that it was under his mothers maiden name of Farrell (see the thread for pete farrell in the Cahir Parish section)and died of a burst stomach ulcer in Queenstown Military Hospital Cork on 12th February 1916.

On returning from British Columbia he married Bridget Quinn and they lived in Ardfinnan and later Kilcommon cross.  Their daughter Ellen was born in Droyleden, Lancashire while he worked at a foundry there for a short time.  He returned to Ireland and  settled back in Ardfinnan.   Ellen married the chauffeur (James Burke - Clonmel) at the Smith sister's house -Duneske.  He was much older than her and died early.  So the smiths asked her and her 6 kids to leave and she moved to the other end of Cahir.

Anyway that all for another day.

Gerry Gleeson