The seven Nenagh brothers that went to war

MANY Irish families made huge contributions to the First World War but none more so than the Mahers of Nenagh, of whom seven sons went off to war.
Nenagh's major input to the 'Great War' of 1914-18 is well documented. At least 1,200 Nenagh men answered the call to fight in Flanders Fields, Gallipoli and elsewhere during those years. There are stories of how streets in the town seemed empty of men, such was the exodus.
Some local families became completely engaged in the war effort. All five sons of Sergeant Brownlow of Pound St went to war. Four sons of M Murrary of Chapel St were involved in the conflict.
It was remarkable for so many members of a single family to go to war. The Irish Times recently featured the Collins family of Waterford, of whom six sons were involved.
But in Nenagh, it seems that one family sent seven sons to the war. The Nenagh Guardian of May 15th 1915 commented on “George Maher, bootmaker of Silver Street, who has sent his six sons to the army, and he would send his seventh and last were it not that he is unfit to go”.
This seventh son must subsequently have become fit to go, as the Guardian of September 23rd 1916 made reference to “the seven sons of George Maher, Silver St, who are serving with the colours”. One of them, Denis, a Private with the 2nd Leinster Regiment, had just been killed in action.
It appears that Denis was the only one of the Maher brothers that died. The other six were named in another Guardian article as Joseph (Leinster Regiment), George (Royal Army Service Corps), Martin (Royal Irish), Daniel (do), Patrick (do) and Michael (do).
According to the Census records of 1901, George snr and his wife Mary Maher lived at 19 Silver St. They were recorded as having six sons – Thomas, George, James, Willey, Dennis, and Martin – and two daughters, Mary Ann and Winford.
Records at North Tipperary Genealogy Centre tell us that George Maher the shoemaker (whose father Patrick was also a shoemaker) married Mary Connors (“servant”) in Nenagh in 1872. They had seven sons – John, Thomas, Patrick, George, James, William and Martin – and two daughters, Mary and Winifred.
Genealogist Nora O'Meara points out that Census names and ages might not correspond, as people often lied about their ages and information may have been taken down mistakenly. It was also common for people to be known by their middle names.
Unfortunately, little is known about what happened to the Maher brothers after the war. Several people in town do remember hearing tell of the seven Maher brothers who joined the army. It seems some, if not all, of them were accomplished boxers and one of them became a British boxing champion. It is likely that they all lived in England after the war and – as was the case with so many Irish veterans – never spoke of their involvement in the conflict when at home for the rest of their lives.
One known link to Nenagh is the family of Georgie, Sean and the late Patrick Joseph Maher. Georgie, who worked at the Irish Aluminium Co/Castle Brand factory for some 46 years, recalls how his own father Patrick fought in the First World War before returning to Nenagh to work at Duignan's garage on McDonagh St. Patrick Maher never spoke about his experiences of the war either, but his descendants recall hearing stories about the large group of brothers in their family that fought in the First World War.
Perhaps someone knows what became of the six surviving Maher brothers and their story will one day be told.