Liam Lynch Centenary Commemoration this Easter

All roads lead to Newcastle this Easter Weekend for the Liam Lynch Centenary Commemoration which will be held in the Tipperary Village on Easter Monday April 10.

Large crowds are expected in Newcastle and a full programme of events is planned for Easter Monday which marks the 100th Anniversary of General Liam Lynch, Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army who was fatally wounded on the Knockmealdown Mountains on the morning of April 10, 1923 and died later that evening in Clonmel Hospital.

The day will begin with an early morning wreath laying ceremony at the Liam Lynch Monument which will be held at 9am to coincide with the time of his fatal wounding 100 years earlier. A bus will depart Newcastle at 8am and registration is necessary should you wish to travel on the bus.

On return to Newcastle Village the tricolour will be raised at Tigh na nDaoine at 11.20am which will be followed by a parade from Newcastle GAA Pitch to Our Lady of the Assumption Church. A number of Pipe bands will join us for the parade including the Liam Lynch Memorial Pipe Band and the Eamon Bulfin Legacy Pipe Band who will join us from Argentina.

The Centenary Memorial Mass in memory of General Liam Lynch will be celebrated at 12 noon by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan and a number of family relatives of Liam Lynch will also be participating in the mass.

Following Mass a plaque will be unveiled outside Nugents Pub to mark the events that happened in the house 100 years earlier where Lynch lay fatally wounded after having been carried from the Mountain by Free State Troops following which an Oration will be delivered by Eamon O’Cuiv TD at Newcastle Community Hall.

Chairperson of the Newcastle Liam Lynch Memorial Committee Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath has described the levels of interest in the event. “We are delighted with the response to our Centenary Weekend. This important event in our local history has been commemorated every year since 1935 since the establishment of a local committee to build the Liam Lynch Monument in 1934 but there is huge interest for this Centenary year. The fatal wounding of General Lynch on the Knockmealdowns brought the effective end to the Irish Civil War and as we approach the later stages of our decade of Centenaries it is hugely important that we recognise the significance of what occurred in Newcastle on April 10th 1923.” said Deputy McGrath

“We have people booked in from the length and breath of the Country and beyond and a large contingent of family members of General Lynch are planning to join us on Holy Saturday and again on Easter Monday with many of them participating in our events.

"Our Commemorative Calendar has been very well received and has gained a huge response with orders coming from all over the world. General Liam Lynch was held in very high esteem by republicans across the country and this Centenary Event has evoked huge interest particularly amongst family members of those involved in our fight for Irish Freedom.”

All are welcome to attend the event on Monday and for those attending the Monument are asked to register in advance as refreshements will be served on return to Newcastle for those attending the monument.

There will be some temporary traffic and parking restrictions in place in Newcastle Village on Easter Monday between 11:30 and 1:30pm and those planning on attending the Memorial Mass are asked to be in Newcastle by 11:15am to avoid traffic restrictions.