Mayo Morial peace park Open in Castlebar
which is dedicated to honour the memory of all those from Mayo, who served and died in all wars worldwide and conflicts of the past century, with the Allied and Commonwealth Forces, a forgotten generation who were written out of local history until recent times.
It remember those who served or died in all wars worldwide and it especially remembers all those Mayo born Irish Army soldiers who served and died on UN operations.
The President of Ireland Mrs Mary McAleese will perform the official opening of the Mayo Peace Park, Garden of Remembrance in Castlebar , County Mayo, at 2pm, on Tuesday the 7th of October 2008.
http://www.mayomemorialpeacepark.org/eventsoctober2008.html
A Second trip for the family members to the Somme in France for Granddads 92th Anniversary of his awarding of medals is being planned for of April. Gavrelle in France is where Paddy Horkan was in action when he was awarded the Military Medal. The action was on the night of 28th April and the morning of 29th. It is across the Belgin border in the eastern part of France, near the town of Arras.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Well done Shane
Shane. It will be great to go to France again. I will be booking the weekend off and getting the castlebar gang on trip. talk to you later . Regards John Horkan.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Trip to Arras 17 - 19/04/09
Hi Folks,
I really enjoyed the trip last year and am thinking about organising something similar for next
year. We will definitely celebrate the 100th anniversary but waiting 8 years is just too long to get everyone together. I checked my calendar and the 29/04/09 falls on a Wednesday. I was thinking of going on a weekend near to this to enable as many people as possible to make the trip.
I sent a quick mail to the hotel that we stayed in Arras - the Holiday Inn Express - the weekend of the 24 - 26/04/08 is booked out (the same in a few other hotels in Arras that I checked with) as it is the anniversary of the Battle of Amiens where the Anzacs fought valiantly and which is remembered every year - see below
"The German High Command had determined that if they could capture Amiens,
the major city in The Somme, then drive to the coast, they would split the
Allied Forces. They saw this as an opportunity to finish the war in their
favour. Australian and British troops halted the German advance, and on
24/25 April, 1918, Australian troops recaptured Villers-Bretonneux and
forced a German withdrawal."
The town seems to be booked out with Aussies / Kiwis for that weekend. I thought that the weekend of 17 - 19/04/09 might be a better idea - hotel availability does not seem to be a problem.
I have got in touch with Simon Godly - one of our guides last year who I have kept in touch with and he is available to show us around. A lot of the family who could not make the trip last year were very interested in seeing Arras, Gavrelle etc. I have checked with Mum and Heather and they are both on to go so my visa has been stamped! As soon as the flights are up on Ryanair I'll be booking our flights.
People have plenty of notice - don't forget husbands / wives / partners etc. - it would be great to see as many as possible.
Regards,
Shane Horkan
I really enjoyed the trip last year and am thinking about organising something similar for next
year. We will definitely celebrate the 100th anniversary but waiting 8 years is just too long to get everyone together. I checked my calendar and the 29/04/09 falls on a Wednesday. I was thinking of going on a weekend near to this to enable as many people as possible to make the trip.
I sent a quick mail to the hotel that we stayed in Arras - the Holiday Inn Express - the weekend of the 24 - 26/04/08 is booked out (the same in a few other hotels in Arras that I checked with) as it is the anniversary of the Battle of Amiens where the Anzacs fought valiantly and which is remembered every year - see below
"The German High Command had determined that if they could capture Amiens,
the major city in The Somme, then drive to the coast, they would split the
Allied Forces. They saw this as an opportunity to finish the war in their
favour. Australian and British troops halted the German advance, and on
24/25 April, 1918, Australian troops recaptured Villers-Bretonneux and
forced a German withdrawal."
The town seems to be booked out with Aussies / Kiwis for that weekend. I thought that the weekend of 17 - 19/04/09 might be a better idea - hotel availability does not seem to be a problem.
I have got in touch with Simon Godly - one of our guides last year who I have kept in touch with and he is available to show us around. A lot of the family who could not make the trip last year were very interested in seeing Arras, Gavrelle etc. I have checked with Mum and Heather and they are both on to go so my visa has been stamped! As soon as the flights are up on Ryanair I'll be booking our flights.
People have plenty of notice - don't forget husbands / wives / partners etc. - it would be great to see as many as possible.
Regards,
Shane Horkan
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Wellington Quarry Arras France
Hi Folks,
Hope that you are all keeping well. I was having a look at Simon Godly's (one of our guides last year in the family trip to Arras) website - www.webmatters.net - and came across the attached article on the Wellington quarry in Arras. They were tunnels built by the New Zealanders during WW1 and used to store supplies, house troops etc. Perhaps Paddy Horkan even stayed in them during his time in Arras.
They were opened recently to the public and seem a good attraction if you are ever back in that part of France. If the regimental anchor monument is moved sometime perhaps we'll have to organise a return trip. I really enjoyed the trip last year, great to meet up with everyone and celebrate the life of such a great man.
From Shane Horkan
Hope that you are all keeping well. I was having a look at Simon Godly's (one of our guides last year in the family trip to Arras) website - www.webmatters.net - and came across the attached article on the Wellington quarry in Arras. They were tunnels built by the New Zealanders during WW1 and used to store supplies, house troops etc. Perhaps Paddy Horkan even stayed in them during his time in Arras.
They were opened recently to the public and seem a good attraction if you are ever back in that part of France. If the regimental anchor monument is moved sometime perhaps we'll have to organise a return trip. I really enjoyed the trip last year, great to meet up with everyone and celebrate the life of such a great man.
From Shane Horkan