Samaritan volunteers were delighted to attend the Armistice Day Commemoration held at the Woodenbridge WW1 Memorial Park on Sunday, 10th of November, 2024, at 2 PM
The event honored the memory of 1,229 souls from County Wicklow who lost their lives during World War 1. East Coast Samaritan volunteers were on hand to distribute Samaritan materials, including pens, wristbands, and awareness brochures, to attendees. Samaritan presence aimed to raise awareness about the vital support services provided by volunteers and to engage with the community in a meaningful way.
The Woodenbridge Village Development Association proudly organized the Armistice Memorial Day on Sunday, 10th of November 2024, at the Woodenbridge WW1 Memorial Park. Woodenbridge Village Development Association is a voluntary group formed in April 2011. Their mission is to develop and enhance the environment of Woodenbridge and its surrounding areas. They aim to strengthen community awareness through various activities and promote tourism in the region. The association takes a hands-on approach to their initiatives, actively working to improve the local environment and community engagement.
Jerry O’Brien a volunteer from Woodenbridge Village Development Association opened the ceremony with a poignant speech: “We gather here to remember 1,229 souls lost to Wicklow for a greater good and to remind ourselves of the debt of gratitude we owe them for the ultimate sacrifice that they made for their County, their Country, and indeed the world in which we now live. ‘Lest we forget.’”
This Memorial Park celebrates its 10th anniversary. On 10th of November at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, a truce was agreed to end the war, which sadly came too late for those who perished or for their families whom we remember today.
Guest speaker at the event is Tim O’Connor, Tim played a major role as part of the senior Irish Government delegation that secured the Good Friday Agreement, leading every native of this Island to a peaceful, albeit tenuous, place to live.
Daniel Kavanagh, a 12-year-old local boy from Aughrim with a significant interest in history, read a poem. He explained its background in his own words, adding a personal touch to the commemoration. Daniel read from a book called Etchings.
Fr. Michael Murphy, Reverend Michael Anderson, and Mr. Alan Pierce conducted a clerical blessing in remembrance of the Wicklow heroes lost in WW1. Wreaths were laid, and everyone stood to observe a minute’s silence in memory of the souls lost in WW1.
