Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Irish men who fought in the First World War are remembered on the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
The Battle of the Somme lasted 19 weeks and had over a million casualties. Up to a 250,000 Irishmen fought in World War I and over 35,000 died.
By the time the Battle of the Somme came in July 1916, the Easter Rising had taken place, and many Irish families were divided between those serving the Crown who answered the call of John Redmond and the Irish Parliamentary Party, and those in active rebellion.
The Fullertons were one such family. Kevin O'Flanagan is the grand nephew of brothers John and George Fullerton. John joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and George joined the Irish Citizen Army and was in Stephen's Green during the Easter Rising. John Fullerton was killed by machine gun fire at the Battle of the Somme.
Gerard Colgan is the nephew of First World War Soldier John McLaughlin, who never recovered from injuries sustained at the Somme. Gerard Colgan recalls the impact of his loss on the family.
It was devastating really, he was the only boy and the grief kind of permeated in the entire family.
In September 2006, the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) will open a major military history exhibition that tells the complete story of the Irish soldier. The exhibition will include over 1,000 artefacts, including the piece of shrapnel that ultimately led to the death of Private John McLaughlin. Siobhán Pierce of the NMI shows some of the machine guns used in WWI that will be on display.
Some WWI veterans were interviewed by RTÉ cameraman Michael Lee. Captain Terence Poulter recalls the horrors he witnessed at the Somme. Private Jack Campbell remembers those who died in agony from gas.
With the passage of time, and the Peace Process, the role played by Irish soldiers in WWI has seen a change in attitude, culminating in a ceremony in Dublin to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 30 June 2006.
The reporter is Anne Marie Smyth.
Irish men who fought in the First World War are remembered on the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
The Battle of the Somme lasted 19 weeks and had over a million casualties. Up to a 250,000 Irishmen fought in World War I and over 35,000 died.
By the time the Battle of the Somme came in July 1916, the Easter Rising had taken place, and many Irish families were divided between those serving the Crown who answered the call of John Redmond and the Irish Parliamentary Party, and those in active rebellion.
The Fullertons were one such family. Kevin O'Flanagan is the grand nephew of brothers John and George Fullerton. John joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and George joined the Irish Citizen Army and was in Stephen's Green during the Easter Rising. John Fullerton was killed by machine gun fire at the Battle of the Somme.
Gerard Colgan is the nephew of First World War Soldier John McLaughlin, who never recovered from injuries sustained at the Somme. Gerard Colgan recalls the impact of his loss on the family.
It was devastating really, he was the only boy and the grief kind of permeated in the entire family.
In September 2006, the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) will open a major military history exhibition that tells the complete story of the Irish soldier. The exhibition will include over 1,000 artefacts, including the piece of shrapnel that ultimately led to the death of Private John McLaughlin. Siobhán Pierce of the NMI shows some of the machine guns used in WWI that will be on display.
Some WWI veterans were interviewed by RTÉ cameraman Michael Lee. Captain Terence Poulter recalls the horrors he witnessed at the Somme. Private Jack Campbell remembers those who died in agony from gas.
With the passage of time, and the Peace Process, the role played by Irish soldiers in WWI has seen a change in attitude, culminating in a ceremony in Dublin to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 30 June 2006.
The reporter is Anne Marie Smyth.
