Commemorative concert planned to mark 100th anniversary of General Liam Lynch's death

A COMMEMORATIVE concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of General Liam Lynch on the Knockmealdown Mountains takes place this Saturday, April 1.

The concert, which starts at 7.30pm, will take place at Palace Theatre, Fermoy Community Youth Centre, North Cork with tickets costing €15.

The concert is being organised to honour Liam’s involvement in the Gaelic League in Fermoy, which promoted traditional Irish music, and the teaching of the Irish language.

It was in the Gaelic League Liam met the love of his life, Mitchelstown girl Bridie Keyes, but postponed marriage when he was forced to go on the run in 1919.

General Lynch was one of the most successful leaders in the War for Independence, where he commanded the 2nd Cork Brigade, and later the 1st Southern Division of the IRA.

When a split occurred over the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, he was voted as IRA Chief of Staff and led a nine month campaign against the Free State Army, until his eventual death on the Knockmealdown Mountains on April 10, 1923.

The concert will comprise of a several traditional Irish musical groups, including Dublin group Sult, the Cork Pipers Club, Mitchelstown Comhaltas, and Fermoy group All To One Side.

It will tell the story of Liam Lynch’s life through Irish music and song, connecting his to the different eras of Irish history, with ancient airs and songs in Irish and English.

Separately, a commemorative pipe band parade to mark the 100th anniversary General Lynch's death will take place in Fermoy on Easter Sunday, April 9.

The parade will begin at the Commandant Michael Fitzgerald Monument, on Courthouse Road, and proceed through the town to the Republican Plot, in Kilcrumper Cemetery.

Traffic restrictions will be in place as large crowds are expected to attend.

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