Londonderry war memorial

[markinbelfast]

From the glories of the football field to the tragedies of the battlefield, Derry footballer Barney Donaghey lived an amazing life. Now it is to be immortalised in print, writes Seamus McKinney

FASCINATING: The war memorial at Derry’s Diamond bears Bernard ‘Barney’ Donaghey’s name but the simple inscription gives no clue as to the type of life he sacrificed – a life full of sporting achievements PICTURES: Margaret McLaughlin

BERNARD ‘Barney’ Donaghey’s life story al-ready reads like a novel. The Derry Cath-olic was a brilliant footballer who played for Ireland, Manchester United, Belfast Celtic and Derry Celtic.

But he was also a soldier and died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Now Derry historian Trevor Temple is researching Donaghey’s life for a book that will tell his amazing tale.

Donaghey, from the Bogside, was one of 115 Derry men killed in the opening hours of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. His body was never recovered.

Mr Temple, who works with the Diamond War Memorial Project, focuses on research into Derry victims of the Great War.

Donaghey was one of the foremost sportsmen of his era.

The Ireland international played as a forward for Manchester United in the 1905/06 season.

Donaghey was highly unusual in that he was one of the few Irish Catholics killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Although many Irish Catholics died during the battle, the casualties from the first day are normally associated with the 36th Ulster Division which was made up almost exclusively of northern Protestants.

The 16th Irish division – ‘Redmond’s volunteers’ – suffered equally heavy casualties at the Somme two months later in September 1916.

Mr Temple said Donaghey was one of about 10 Catholics from Derry killed on the opening day of the battle.

“He was a soldier with the First Inniskillings which was a more mixed regiment and was not part of the Ulster division,” he said.

Although Mr Temple is still researching Donaghey’s life, he has already gathered quite a lot of information about him.

Two addresses, both in the Bogside, are listed for Donaghey – one at St Columb’s Wells and the other at Fulton Place.

His wife’s name was Sarah and British army records show he was injured earlier in the war.

He spent time recovering in an Egyptian hospital from a shrapnel injury to the head.

In a letter home on that occasion Donaghey wrote: “The other four soldiers that were beside me were killed.

“It was an awful sight. I am sure it was the prayers that saved me.”

Donaghey’s name is recorded on Derry’s Diamond war memorial and among the lists of the missing on the Thiepval Monument on the Somme battlefield.

If his death was tragic, his sporting life was outstanding.

He played for Derry Celtic which operated from the present Celtic Park GAA ground in Derry and was the main soccer club in the city, competing in the Irish League. His skills as a forward took him to international standard for Ireland and eventually – after a spell with Belfast Celtic, Ireland’s foremost club of the day – to Manchester United, for which he signed in November 1905.

He returned to Derry Celtic in August the following year and also had a spell with Scottish club, Hibernians.

“I found evidence of him playing for Ireland against Scotland in a fundraising game in 1902 to raise funds for the victims of the Ibrox Park disaster,” Mr Temple said.

“Twenty-five fans were killed when a stand collapsed during a Scotland v England game.”

While he has uncovered one “very grainy” picture of the sporting hero, Mr Temple is keen to hear from anyone with pictures of the player, any of Donaghey’s descendants or anyone with information about him.

He urged anyone with information to contact him at Derry’s Holywell Trust on 028 7126 1941.

[irishmen1916]

Hi Mark, Good post, please let me know when this is in print. Thanks Peter

[rob elliott]

hi,

Londonderry war Memorial is now on line at www.diamondwarmemorial.com with a photo of Donaghey.

Site not fully loaded yet but is very good so far.

Rob

[Wesley Wright]

hi,

Londonderry war Memorial is now on line at www.diamondwarmemorial.com with a photo of Donaghey.

Site not fully loaded yet but is very good so far.

Rob

The 1st "Skins where in 29th Division and took part in the fighting in Gallopli--ties in WOUNDS in Egypt.

29th division took part on the first day of the Somme at Beaumont Hamel--1st Skins suffering very high casualites.

Wesley Wright

[Wesley Wright]

The Cwgc site -wife Sarah from fulton Place--commerated on Thiepval memorial

Wesley Wright