Lorrha civic welcome in memory of war hero

Tipperary Co Council will this weekend accord a Civic Welcome to an Australian councillor in Lorrha, birthplace of First World War hero Martin O'Meara.

Cllr Wayne Sanford, President of the Shire of Collie, Western Australia, is visiting Lorrha as part of the ANZAC war centenary markings. He is to be accorded a Civic Welcome in the village on Saturday May 2nd.
Cllr Sanford wants to visit the birthplace of Sgt Martin O'Meara, the Lorrha man who emigrated to Australia and fought in the Great War in Europe, winning the coveted Victoria Cross. He is to formally deliver a tribute from the Shire of Collie to the people of Lorrha in recognition of Sgt O'Meara's gallantry in the war.
The itinerary for the day will include a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial in Lorrha, a talk on the life of Sgt O'Meara, a walk through the historic village, and a visit to O'Meara's birthplace. Visits to other historic sites in the area are also planned for the day, which will end with a meal and entertainment at Maher's in Lorrha. 
Sgt O'Meara remains a revered figure in Collie, where a play about the Lorrha native's life was recently written and widely performed. Born in 1885, Martin was a son of labourer Michael O'Meara and his wife Margaret (née O'Connor). He emigrated to Australia and in 1914 found work cutting railway sleepers in the virgin jarrah forest east of Collie. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1915 and served almost to the end of the First World War in 1918.
A stretcher-bearer with the 16th Infantry Platoon, Sgt O'Meara saved the lives of 25 comrades at the Battle of Poziéres in 1916.  Described by one officer as “the most fearless and gallant soldier I have ever seen”, the Lorrha man braved intense artillery and machine-gun fire to retrieve wounded soldiers from No Man’s Land over a period of four days. King George V later awarded him the Victoria Cross in London for his actions.
O'Meara made a visit his homeland in 1916, when money was raised as a testimonial to him from Lorrha and neighbouring parishes. He left the money gathered to the parish for restoration work on Lorrha Abbey.
Sadly, his experiences during the war caused him to have a complete mental breakdown. He was discharged from the AIF in November 1919 and spent the rest of his life in mental hospitals suffering from what was described at the time as 'chronic mania'. He passed away at Claremont Mental Hospital on December 20th 1935 and was buried with full military honours in Karrakatta Catholic cemetery. His Victoria Cross was donated to the Army Museum of Western Australia in 1986.
Nenagh based Minister Alan Kelly laid a wreath in memory of O'Meara at Kings Park War Memorial during a St Patrick's visit to Perth last year. Cllr Sanford will do likewise when he comes to Lorrha next week.
At last week's meeting of Nenagh Municipal District Council, Cllr Ger Darcy (FG) said the visit would be an opportunity to showcase the area. He congratulated the local committee in Lorrha for its role in organising the event.
Local councillor Michael O'Meara (Ind) also welcomed the visit: “We're very proud of him,” he said of Sgt O'Meara. “I know people in Lorrha are very excited about this event.”