Remembering Wexford’s war dead
‘We do not remember the dead well unless we highlight and play our part in trying to combat war in the world today’, Church of Ireland Rector, the Reverend Arthur Minion said in his sermon at the annual ecumencial Remembrance Day Service in St. Iberius Church.
Wreaths in honour of those who have died in wars, were laid in the church and at the monument in Redmond Square on behalf of the people of Wexford and uniformed and civic bodies including the Civil Defence, Fire Service, Irish Coast Guard, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Royal British Legion of Wexford, the National Organisation of Ex-Service Men and Women, International United Nations Veterans
Association, Soldiers of Peace International Association, Order of Malta and MarineWatch.
Representatives of the Department of Defence and an Garda Síochána also attended the service at which Catholic Bishop of Ferns, Denis Brennan gave the closing ecumenical blessing. Parish Administrator Fr. Aodhán Marken read the Gospel while the first and second lessons were read by the new Wexford Garda Chief Superintendent Denis Ferry and the Mayor, Cllr. George Lawlor.
Reverend Minion delivered the sermon and said four wars that don’t receive a lot of media attention will yield tens of thousands of deaths this year - the Afghanistan Conflict, Yemen Crisis, Mexican Drug War and the Syrian Civil War.
‘War fatalities in Iraq, the Israel/ Palestine conflict, on the African continent and in India and Pakistan do not together combine to outnumber any of these wars, yet where is the media focus’, he asked.
‘One death is one too many. One child or loved one dead holds a life of pain and grief.’
Reverend Minion paid tribute to the Irish Defence Forces and said while Ireland’s military capabilities are relatively modest, the State has a long history of involvement in United Nations peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief operations.
‘The purpose of the Irish Defence Forces is perhaps not truly appreciated by the people and perhaps not highlighted enough through the media. The budget is €639 million which is not enough for what we ask and expect of our defence forces’, he said.
The book ‘The Wexford War Dead’ containing the names of all those from the county who died during World War 1, was poignantly laid open on the altar during the service while 10 wreaths on behalf of different organisations were laid at the altar rails in front of the Memorial Pulpit in St. Iberius Church which commemorates those who died in the First and Second World Wars.
The music was led by the Loch Garman Band under conductor John Clancy and after the service, a colour party led a procession through the streets to the Redmond Monument for the laying of a remembrance wreath by the Mayor on behalf of the people of the town.