Wreath laying ceremony marks 29th anniversary of Thomas Walsh
A special wreath laying ceremony is taking place in Rhue Cemetery tomorrow at 2pm to commemorate Private Thomas Walsh who was killed by a roadside bomb in the Lebanon 29 years ago. A ceremony will be held in Sligo at 11am at the grave of Private Mannix Armstrong who also died on the peacekeeping mission alongside Thomas and Corporal Fintan Heneghan from Ballinrobe.
Thomas was only 29 years old and left behind a wife and three children, while Mannix also left behind a wife and family. The families of the three soldiers received an apology from the State in 2011 after a report into the tragedy found the device that killed the soldiers could have been detected. Oisín Walsh, younger brother of Thomas said the wreath laying ceremony at his graveside will be attended by a large group of his relatives including many nieces and nephews. Oisín said the Walsh family were glad to hear that the ceremony will now take place. “As a family we think it’s a really lovely gesture. “It’s being organised by the UN Veterans Association, they were formed around 7 years ago.
“It’s completely new and a lovely way to remember those who have died.” Thomas came from a large family who lived in Tubbercurry. “Thomas was 29 when he was killed. He was in the army around 10 years or that. They were due to come back from the Lebanon a month before they were killed. Thomas had a wife and three kids who are all grown up now and have their own families.
“Thomas’s death was very hard one everyone including my mother. The wreath laying ceremony is a lovely gesture to remember them by,” Oisín added.