On Thursday April 21 2022 the Australian Ambassador to Ireland HE Gary Gray visited Lorrha for a meeting with the Martin O’Meara VC committee. While in Lorrha, a wreath laying ceremony was held at the monument to Martin, and in recognition of ANZAC day the following Monday 25th
Pictured here are members of the Lorrha Martin O’Meara VC committee: From left, Ger O’Meara (Secretary), Ambassador Gray, Mike Hoctor, Rose Mannion (Chairperson), Louis McCormack (Treasurer), Nancy White. Missing from photo, Joe Dolan, Martina Needham, Cllr. Michael O’Meara, James Heenan.
The Lorrha Martin O’ Meara VC Committee, is reaching out to raise funds to celebrate the visit of Martin O’Meara’s Victoria Cross back to our village of Lorrha in North Tipperary in 2022 for the first time in 105 years. Martin never forgot his parish, leaving a legacy in his will ‘towards the restoration of the Old Abbey in Lorrha now in ruins’. We want to give the Victoria Cross awarded to him a proper homecoming celebration.
Martin O’Meara was born in Lissernane, Lorrha, on the 3rd November 1885. He emigrated to Perth, Australia, in 1911, where he worked as a sleeper-layer. He enlisted as a private in the Australian Imperial Force in 1915. Between the 9th and 12th August 1916, during a period of heavy fighting in the battle of the Somme, Martin repeatedly went out and returned with wounded officers and men from “No Man’s Land” under intense artillery and machine gun fire. He also volunteered to carry ammunition and bombs to sections of the trench which was heavily shelled. He was presented with his Victoria Cross (awarded for most conspicuous bravery) by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 21st July 1917. for most conspicuous bravery.
After he received his Victoria Cross, he visited his family in Lorrha for the last time, returning to Australia in 1918. He died in Perth in 1935 at the age of 50 after many years of struggle with mental health issues.
Martin’s Victoria Cross is held in Fremantle’s Army Museum of Western Australia collection. In July 2019, the Australian government lent the VC to the National Museum of Ireland. The loan required an amendment to the Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act (1986) to allow the “temporary export of important cultural artefacts”. The Victoria Cross will be returning to the Army Museum of Western Australia later this year.
As this will be an once off lifetime event please help us to make this a memorable occasion by donating towards the required funds that is needed.
Anzac Day (25 April) marks the anniversary of the WWI campaign that led to major casualties for The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) at Gallipoli in 1915. In Lorrha on Sunday morning last the day was marked at short notice by and a very low key and brief wreath laying ceremony in the warm Spring sunshine.
In anticipation that the social distancing regulations would be resolved, a new date for the visit to Lorrha of the Victoria Cross awarded to Lorrha native Martin O’Meara was set for Saturday April 17th. This was agreed between Lorrha representatives and the Australian Embassy to Ireland. This was the weekend before ANZAC Day after which the Victoria Cross which is on loan to the National Museum of Ireland would return to its permanent home in the National Museum of Western Australia in Fremantle. However, like many other events, this arrangement has been postponed to some future date.
Indeed the annual ANZAC Commemoration Ceremony in Grangegorman Military Cemetery in Dublin was also cancelled. Instead, the Australian and New Zealand Ambassadors to Ireland placed a wreath at the residence of the New Zealand Ambassador, HE Mr. Brad Burgess. However, in recnogition of the Lorrha contribution to the ANZAC’s in the Great War, the Australian Ambassador to Ireland, HE Mr. Gary Gray generously arranged for a wreath to be given to the parish of Lorrha and Dorrha to be placed at the Memorial in Lorrha village. In compliance with regulations it was a very small and private occasion. Carmel and Sheila O’Meara of Lissernane, Lorrha placed the wreath at the memorial The sisters are the closest neighbours to Martin O’Meara’s home in Lissernane and are not related to him. Their sister Mary Stephens recited the citation that was reported in the London Gazette describing the heroic actions by Private Martin O’Meara for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
A second wreath, donated by the parish to acknowledge the other people from Lorrha who died in the Great War and other conflicts, was also placed at the monument.
All memorial events were kept small this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
