Longford Municipal District plans for World War I cenotaph

Plans to have the names of Longford men who served in World War I permanently inscribed on the plinth of the Market Square memorial may be progressed under the town regeneration plan.
The issue was raised at the November meeting of Longford Municipal District after the annual Remembrance Service.
Members of the Peter Keenan ONE branch were among those who attended the Remembrance Sunday Service on Market Square, Longford on November 12 last.

The ex-service men were joined by members of IUNVA, Civil Defence, clergy and relatives of Longford Soldiers who served in both the Great War and World War II. The master of ceremony for the event was Steve Coy.
At the memorial wreaths were laid at the freestanding carved limestone cenotaph in the form of a Celtic high cross, which was first erected 1925. The cenotaph commemorates the men from County Longford who died in the First World War.
The cross is set on a more recently dressed limestone faced plinth, and has bas relief inscriptions on the base. There is a shamrock motif in bas relief to the head of the cross on the east face.

Similar cenotaphs can be found in many towns throughout Ireland, including Nenagh, Drogheda, Sligo and at Bray. The Longford monument is significant due to the major event it commemorates, and also as one of a relatively few pieces of public sculpture in Longford Town.

When the town rejuvenation project was first ratified by the local authority in 2018 it was suggested that the monument be moved to The Mall, however the idea was scrapped following objections by some elected members.
Cllr Peggy Nolan raised the issue at the November meeting of the local authority. Cllr Nolan put it to the chamber: “It was proposed and ratified that the perspex on the monument with the names on them be taken down.

“The money was ring-fenced a number of years ago to have the names properly inscribed on the monument. I have to say the setting for the memorial service that took place last Sunday was very special.”
In his reply Director of Services with responsibility for Housing, Planning, Regeneration and Capital Projects, John Brannigan, said: “If it can be done as part of the regeneration project, we will have it done.”