'Forgotten Soldier' commemoration to be held

A commemoration is set to be held in Duhill church in Tipperary on Sunday, October 29 to honour John Mahony, the forgotten soldier.

Sunday will mark 100 years since John Mahony lost his life. He was part of the sixth Battalion, third Tipperary Brigade, IRA.

Gatherers will assemble behind a lone piper outside the house John was raised in at 2pm, and walk the short distance to Duhill Church where a new plaque will be unveiled.

The ‘Rebel Hearts’ will play traditional music and Kathleen Moloney and Thomas Hennessy will speak.

Thomas Hennessy played an instrumental role in uncovering John Mahony’s story, which was previously majorly unknown.

He had been working on a book with his friend Rob O’Keefe about a recently discovered IRA map when he came across the forgotten soldier.

“Rob had sent me Sean Fitzpatrick’s roll of honour and sure enough after ‘John Mahony’, the description read ‘Volunteer Graigue Company, brutalised and neglected by the Free State in Kilkenny Jail. Died in Cashel hospital 24/06/1923’,” he wrote.

Through meticulous research, Thomas was able to uncover the burial site of John Mahony and bring his story to life.

He was assisted by Fr John Nally, Kathleen Moloney and Ann Moloney, who, in a surprising twist, lives in the old Mahony home.

There will be masses said for John this weekend in Ballylooby and Duhill churches.

The new plaque will be blessed on Sunday morning after mass in Duhill at 9am.