War Memorial Fahan Church of Ireland
This War Memorial in the local Church of Ireland, just a few miles from Fahan Presbyterian on the R238 heading towards Buncrana.
This is a beautiful Church with a lot of history. Why don't you make a visit to the graveyard when in the area?
Extract of site below:
Story of this memorial:
A tablet in memory of the members of Fahan Upper Parish Church, who laid down their lives in the Great War, was unveiled on Palm Sunday in the little church on the shores of Lough Swilly by Brigadier-General Ricardo, C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O., and dedicated by the Right Rev. Dr. Peacocke, Anglican Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe.
The service in connection with the unveiling and dedication ceremony was a very impressive one, and a large congregation took part.
It opened with the solemn music of Chopin’s March Funebre.
Then followed the singing of the hymn, “Brief life is here our portion,” after which the rector, Rev. Henry O’Donnell, M.A., C.F., read the opening portion of Morning Prayer.
The special Psalm was li., and the special lessons were Isaiah lii., 13, and liii., and Matthew xxvi., 17 to 36, these being read by his Honour Judge Cooke, K.C., County Court Judge for Donegal.
Then the rector and Mr Jim White (rector’s churchwarden), and Mr George Gillighan (people’s churchwarden) proceeded to the chancel, and Rev. Mr O’Donnell requested his Lordship to dedicate the memorial tablet.
The Lord Bishop, General Ricardo, the rector, and the churchwardens accordingly proceeded to the east wall at the chancel steps, where the tablet had been erected, and where it was covered by the Union Flag.
It was of Sicilian marble, highly polished, on a background of polished black marble.
It consisted of a highly-carved and polished base course, plate, and frieze, the whole being surmounted by a Victory wreath.
The marble panel bore the following inscription:
“FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.”
The Great War – 1914-1918.
To the Glory of God,
And in Grateful Memory of the Members
Of this Parish who gave their lives
for Freedom.
Charles Norman, captain, N.I.H.
H. D. S. O’Brien, captain, M.C., and Bar, R.A.F.
William James Garrow, sergeant, 11th Inniskillings.
John Moore, sergeant, R.A.S.C.
William McClay, private, R.A.S.C.
Mary C. Dickson, V.A.D.
Ann E. Dickson, F.R.C.
“Father, in Thy gracious keeping
Leave we now Thy servants sleeping.”
Palm Sunday, 1923.
In unveiling the tablet, Brigadier-General Ricardo said – “I am proud to be present and to take part in this service of remembrance here today. There may be a boundary line on the map of our country, but there can be no dividing line inside our Church of Ireland, nor among us who honour those who died for their King and country in the Great War. This day of sweet remembrance must reopen wounds of sorrow which time was mercifully healing, but then again the proud memory of the service of their loved ones to their country and the honour which friends and neighbours are paying them today will be a help and solace to those who mourn; their names will live for evermore on your war memorial, bearing testimony to generations to come of duty well done, of sacrifice willingly given. Mr O’Donnell sent me a note of the services of your little band of fallen heroes, and such records are, indeed, a legitimate cause for pride in our race and our country. These men and women never looked upon themselves as heroes; they saw nothing to wax eloquent about in what they did, but the simple statement of what each did in his or her sphere of action, each doing the duty assigned, the task allotted, makes us one and all intensely proud to honour them here this day. That high and noble sense of duty they severally displayed was not learned in the recruit squad or the training camp – it was learnt in their own homes here, and their deeds and record will be an incentive to the boys and girls now growing up to put duty – duty to God and service to their fellows – before all else.”
The Lord Bishop said – “In the faith of Jesus Christ, we dedicate this tablet to the glory of God, and in proud and loving memory of Charles Norman, H. D. S. O’Brien, William J. Garrow, John Moore, William McClay, Mary C. Dickson, and Anne E. Dickson. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.”
The Lord Bishop then offered up the prayer of dedication and a prayer from the burial office.
The remaining portion of Morning Prayer, said by the rector, followed, after which the hymn for Holy Week, “Glory be to Jesus,” was sung.
Then the litany of intercession for Ireland was said by the Rev. Gerald Dickson, M.A., an S.P.G. missionary in India, at present on furlough. Rev. Mr Dickson was a son of the Rev. Canon Dickson, for many years rector of Fahan, and his two sisters were amongst those whose names were commemorated on the tablet just unveiled.
The Palm Sunday hymn, “Ride on, ride on in majesty,” having been sung, an eloquent address, appropriate to the Easter season and the special occasion in connection with the memorial tablet, was delivered by the Lord Bishop.
His Lordship said they had dedicated that tablet in that house of prayer in memory of those who went out from that parish and made the great sacrifice. What finer tribute could they pay them, or what truer than to say of them, as had been said of their Lord and Master, “He saved others, Himself He cannot save.” It was right they should keep their deeds in remembrance; it was right that they should glory in the grandeur of their sacrifice; it was right that they should inscribe it for future years in the church where they worshipped. Such deeds and such self-sacrifice as theirs was Christlike; it brought back their thoughts to the Cross of Calvary, which should be very much before their minds just then. They stood before the Cross of Christ, and from that cross and Him who once was there a voice spoke to them, and the words were re-echoed by the voice of their brethren fallen in the war by land and sea, for it told them in unmistakeable tones that the law of self-sacrifice was the highest law of all.
The offertory hymn was “For all the saints,” and then the National Anthem was sung.
The Lord Bishop having pronounced the Benediction, Handel’s Dead March was played, the service concluding with the sounding of “The Last Post” by Mr R. Saville, Londonderry.
The beautiful tablet was designed and executed by the firm of Vincent Ward & Sons, sculptors, Londonderry.
Several floral tributes were placed at the foot of the tablet, one being a cross of daffodils, “In memory of darling daddy, from his little daughter Florinda,” and one a laurel wreath “In ever dear memory of Charlie, from Mater.”
On R238 from Derry to Buncrana at Tooban, Burnfoot
Fahan, Via Lifford, Co. Donegal
Republic of Ireland EIRCode F93 XY65
ROI Registered Charity Number (RCN): 20205867