It has been a busy year so far for the this Tipperary memorial committee

To all our supporters out there who follow us on the internet and the Tipperary Star, I would like to thank you for your support over the last 23 years.

It has been a busy 2023 so far for us with the many visitors from all over Ireland and overseas.

The Easter Monday Bank Holiday, we had the British and Irish Campers Associations. I had the pleasure of giving them a Tour of St Mary's International Garden of Remembrance.

It was great to chat with them after the tour. They were very pleased with what they had seen in St Mary’s; they commended the committee for their vision in setting up St Mary’s International Garden of Remembrance.

They assured me that they would be back next year, and they are hoping that the next time they visit, they will have a camping site. One hundred caravans stayed in Thurles that Easter weekend.

On May 11, 2023, our good friend H.E. Mr Ki-Hwan Kweon, the Republic of Korea Ambassador to Ireland paid his last visit to St Mary’s.

His Excellency paid his last private respects to the Republic of Korea Memorial. 110 Irish died in the Korean War 1950 - 1953.

Before leaving, His Excellency was made an Honorary member of the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee. Chairman Mr John Wort presented him with his Committee Crest and Medal with his name engraved. H.E. said he was very moved and proud to become an Honorary Member. He thanked the Chairman and the Committee for their hospitality and friendship over the last three years.

June 16, 2023 saw a vist from the new Republic of Korea Ambassador to Ireland H.E Mr Yong - Kil Kim and a delegation of members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and Chairman of the Irish - Inter-Parliamentary Group, Mr Sung IL Jong.

Their visit to St Mary’s to pay their respect to all the Irish who died in the Korean War was high on their four-day visit to Ireland and Scotland.

They were very emotional, and they thanked the Chairman and the committee for the warm welcome they received.

The Chairman, along with Mr John Wort, Laid a wreath at the Republic of Korea Memorial.

On June 26, 2023, history was made for the first time going back to 1292 I believe. we had mass in St Mary’s Cemetery celebrated by Fr. James Purcell P.P and Canon Ian Coulter Church of Ireland. It was a great occasion for all who attended on the night Fr James and Cannon Ian blessed all the memorials and all the graves in St Mary’s.

For many of the people from the town of Thurles, it was the first time they had ever been inside the gates of St Mary’s.

History is in the making for all, and the signs that we are moving in the right direction when it comes to our fellow men and women.

On July 8, we had the new Kuwait Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Mr Mohammad F. AL Mohammad visit St Mary’s, Excellency Mr Mohammad is the very first Kuwait Ambassador to Ireland.

He was accompanied by Mr Guy Jones Chairman of the Irish Lebanese Culture Foundation and Vice Chairman of Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee.

The Ambassador was on a three-day visit to Kilkenny, Thurles and Cork. Only been in Ireland a short few months, he had heard about St Mary’s from his Colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs he had to visit and as he said, he was very honoured to be in St Mary’s to pay his respects to all who served and died in the service of peace at home and overseas with the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions. The Ambassador said he and some of his fellow Ambassadors will be back on November 12 for our Remembrance Sunday Ceremony.

This year all the ceremonies will take place in St Mary’s Church and in St Mary's International Garden of Remembrance.

On July 26, 2023, our good friends from Denver Colorado U.S.A Dr Martin Semple and his wife Joe Anne Semple, visited St Mary’s. Dr Martin, is a member of the committee and one of our main sponsors, takes a keen interest in the planning and development of St Mary’s.

His first priority is to visit the grave of his late Father, the Great Man Tom Semple. Tom Semple Grave and Memorial are visited very often by followers of the GAA. A legend in his time on the hurling field and in the service of his country, he was great friend of the late Michael Collins and one of the first officers in the Irish Free State Army.

It was also a very special day for Martin’s wife Joe Ann. She became a full member of the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee. Mr John Wort, Chairman, presented Mrs Joe Ann Semple with her Committee Crest and Medal. Joe said she was very delighted and proud to be a member of the committee.

As Chairman of the committee, I am very proud of what we have achieved in the last 23 years. We have members all over Ireland, America and Lebanon.