Extract 10 April 2014: Quote: "After the guns of Europe fell silent a desire developed to remember those who had died and to commemorate the Allied victory. Armistice Day was specifically dedicated by King George V on 7 November 1919 as a Day of Remembrance. Dignified civilian and military services became the traditional British means of Remembrance. Commemoration of those who died in the Great War became part of the culture of the Killester colony. Residents organised local ceremonies and took part in national events. On Armistice Day 1923 Killester village fell silent as ex-servicemen and their families took part in a moving ceremony on the village green. Men wearing full military dress were addressed by Majors Lefroy and Cooper. The Killester colony was the largest concentration of ex-servicemen in the Free State and their 1923 celebrations were described as remarkable. Remembrance ceremonies were organised throughout the Irish Free State by the Royal British Legion whose branches united to form parades to the Temporary Cenotaph in the Phoenix Park. The Killester ex-servicemen usually converged with the Great Northern Railway ex-servicemen at Amiens Street and then joined other contingents as they marched to the park in unison. Remembrance Day parades were described by the press as major events with up to 20,000 participating veterans. Dublin streets were lined with spectators; O’Connell Bridge was closed to facilitate the marchers while a strong Garda presence was evident. Led by A.P.Connolly, veterans observed two minutes silence, sounded the last post and laid wreaths in memory of their fallen comrades. Newspaper coverage of these events is extensive which is hardly surprising considering the level of participation. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, newspapers in November are filled with reports of ceremonies in Irish cities and towns including photographs of the Killester men on parade. Leonard and Dungan agree that commemoration of the war became synonymous with the visible force of the Black and Tans, who forced shopkeepers to close their premises on Armistice Day. Leonard notes that fighting between republicans and ex-servicemen was commonplace, along with attacks on poppy sellers and British Legion Halls. The Legion Hall in Killester suffered two such attacks. The premises were destroyed by fire in April 1928, petrol cans were found in the debris. The following October, taxi driver, John Kirwan was forced to drive gunman ‘on a political job’ to the Killester Legion Hall where several shots were fired into the premises. Despite the threat of violence, memorial ceremonies continued. Just two weeks after the shootings, the Killester branch led by Captain de Lacy joined their comrades at Connolly station and proceeded to Beresford Place to join the parade as normal. Leonard notes that due to frequent attacks, women took over the selling of poppies because they were less likely to be accosted. This was the tradition in Killester where residents remember women and young girls selling poppies in November. While the poppy may have been viewed by republicans as a symbol of British power, attitudes in Killester seemed indifferent with regard to the wearing of poppies. Some people wore them, some didn’t, but no strong feelings were expressed with regard to the wearing of poppies. Some wore poppies in November but they also wore Easter Lilies at Easter. While some ex-servicemen donned full military regalia others did not participate in any commemorative celebrations. Proceeds from the sale of poppies went towards the care of ex-servicemen in distress. In 1927, the RBL gave £38,000 to ex-servicemen who were unable to find employment. Leonard contends that commemoration dwindled after the first decade. This was not due to dwindling enthusiasm but due to Fianna Fail’s rise to power in 1932. Duffy remarks that de Valera changed his attitude to commemoration following his election. In opposition he bitterly opposed Remembrance ceremonies but took a more pragmatic approach when in Government. De Valera refused to attend ceremonies but still allowed them to take place. The National War Memorial Trust was established in 1919 to plan a permanent to the men who died. Cosgrave suggested a site at Islandbridge, de Valera supported the project which commenced in 1932. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the Memorial was completed in 1939. The official opening was delayed by war, indifference and neglect. Ceremonies were suspended during the Northern Ireland troubles. The gardens fell into disrepair but were Eventually Restored with the support of the Royal British Legion. Although the cultural legacy of war was evident in church, commercial and sports memorials, remembrance services became confined to Protestant churches. This ‘Collective amnesia’ was a denial of the true complexity of Irish political, social and cultural allegiances. Recent events have caused us to consider Irish involvement in the Great War. The official opening of Islandbridge took place on 1 July, 2006 to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. The visit of Queen Elizabeth in May 2011 was a historic occasion that acknowledged the past and looked to the future. President Higgins chose the 2011 Remembrance Day Services at St. Patrick’s Cathedral as his first official function. These symbolic events signify a new phase of remembrance". Ends:

1. Interestingly in her excellent article the author records that; 'apart from the odd remark about living in 'Little Britain' or getting a free house', no evidence of animosity towards the community emerged', which corroborates the view that Killester had been described on various occasions as 'Little Britain'.

2. The first ever visit by A British Minister to the Irish Free State included a trip to Killester. Mr E.O. Roberts, British Minister of Pensions, visited Dublin in June 1924 to discuss ex-servicemen's pensions. Accompanied by Sir Henry McLaughlin and Major Lefroy, the Minister inspected a parade of Killester ex-servicemen many wearing medals or ribbons. Union Jacks flew beside the Irish Free State Flag while the Minister inspected the men in Killester. (Killester veterans showing EQUAL respect for the diversity of their traditions).

Returning soldiers had to apply to the Local Government Board for a house. There didn't seem to be any strict criteria, just ex-servicemen of sound character who had families to support. The first residents moved in, in 1923, many of the returning soldiers worked on the Killester site as labourers, physically building the houses they were going to live in. The Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust took over in January 1924 and then men had to apply directly to the Trust for housing. 'The over riding concern of the British Government was to maintain social stability'. There appeared to be a practice of the Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust building different style houses for different ranks. For example, in Killester there were 3 types of housing: the largest ones in Demesne were reserved for officers, Middle Third went to the middle ranks and Abbeyfield was reserved for the ordinary ranking soldiers and their families. As the years went by and families got bigger, people did move to the bigger houses within the estate. The historical significance of the area is well documented, as from “The Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust – First Report – 1st January 1924 to 31st March 1926”, page 18: “At the garden suburb of Killester, on the outskirts of Dublin, 247 houses (See also Irish Architectural Archive) were erected by the Local Government Board. These are all single-storey “bungalows,” of which 32, of 1,007 feet superficial area, are detached ; they contain a parlour, living-room, large scullery, and three bedrooms, besides bathroom, larder and coal store. Of the remainder, 177, with similar accommodation but without the parlour, are of 841 feet capacity, while 38, with only 2 bedrooms, have an area of 675 feet.” The Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust subsequently took over these properties from the Local Government Board into what the Report states on page 25, is “one of the Trust's largest schemes (Killester-247 cottages).” All of these 'bungalows' were constructed to house Irish Sailors and Soldiers returning from World War I. The Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust built nearly 4000 houses throughout the State for soldiers returning from WWl.