Is there a record of Irish soldiers who survived WW1

[MOD]

Can anyone let me know if there is a record of Irish soldiers who survived WW1? My great uncle was born in County Cork but moved to Clare in his teens as his father was involved in the West Clare Railway. As he was estranged from his wife before he died (in the 1950s) and had no children the only information I have on his military service is his Certificate when he joined the Army Service Corps in 1915. From his obituary, it indicated he went on to be a Petty Officer, Senior Service of the Royal Navy. I have been unable to get his army or navy number from the Kew website as there were so many men with the same name, John O'Donoghue. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Churchill, Ennistymon (which I have recently managed to locate) and I would really like that he be remembered.

[miriam scahill]

Hello - re Soldiers in WW1 - I suggest you log on to http://www.clarelibrary.ie and open Genealogy - on this page there is a document - 'North Clare Soldiers in WW1' - which shows a 'Paddy O Donoghue' on the list. It gives local info. and contacts. There is another doc. - 1914-16 Kilrush Men in WW1. I saw in Clare Champion last Nov. where Peadar McNamara (from Inch) had done a lot of research and there was a Memorial Service held for 90th Anniv. of ending of WW1.
Slan, Miriam.

[MOD]

Hello - re Soldiers in WW1 - I suggest you log on to http://www.clarelibrary.ie and open Genealogy - on this page there is a document - 'North Clare Soldiers in WW1' - which shows a 'Paddy O Donoghue' on the list. It gives local info. and contacts. There is another doc. - 1914-16 Kilrush Men in WW1. I saw in Clare Champion last Nov. where Peadar McNamara (from Inch) had done a lot of research and there was a Memorial Service held for 90th Anniv. of ending of WW1.
Slan, Miriam.

Hi Miriam, thanks for that. Unfortunately, John is "falling through the loop" so to speak, as he was born in County Cork and I imagine when people are researching Clare information in Kew they look at where the person was born and not where they were living at the time they joined. The Paddy O'Donoghue you mentioned is not mine. Thanks again.

[Paddy Casey]

Since you have located his unmarked grave, here's a (genealogically) unconventional approach which has worked for me: contact the local funeral directors to see whether one of them buried him and, if you are successful in finding the funeral director, ask who had him buried. If you can get the name of the person who paid for the burial, and if that person or her/his descendants are still alive, it just might take you to a rich source of information on your great-uncle.

Some funeral directors in family businesses have kept business records extending back over many decades, possibly because no-one has bothered to take them to the tip. The records may be in boxes or ring files ordered by year but otherwise non-indexed so a search could be laborious. However, some elderly funeral directors have long memories and can tell you about a burial without having to refer to a file so you could be lucky. It's worth a try.

Paddy

[miriam scahill]

Hello - You mentioned that your relation - O Donoghue - had Railway Connections - so log on to http://www.clarelibrary.ie and open FOTO collection - then RAILWAY collection - refine search by putting in 'Kilkee Railway Station Driver' - and there you will find a picture of train driver Mickey O Donoghue and Mr. Fry taken in 1953 - this must be the same Mr. Fry of the 'Fry Model Railway' as desplayed at Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin. Perhaps Mr. O Donoghue is a brother of your John.
The document on 'North Clare Soldiers' has some useful info on it.

[MOD]

Perhaps Mr. O Donoghue is a brother of your John.
The document on 'North Clare Soldiers' has some useful info on it.

Yes you are right, Mickey is John's brother (both were my great-uncles).

[MOD]

If you can get the name of the person who paid for the burial, and if that person or her/his descendants are still alive, it just might take you to a rich source of information on your great-uncle.

Paddy, that is a great advice but not of use in this instance, unfortunately. - I know who the funderal director was but unfortunately, Big Jacks wife and her side of the family have died off and they had no chidren! I (and another cousin) are the last of his descendants alive researching him (I am his great-niece). He does not appear on any Clare records of soldiers of WW1 because he was born in Cork (on the Cork/Kerry) border and as I mentioned his family moved to Clare with the WCR. I have had no success trying to access any information on the UK military website as there were so many John O'Donoghue's involved in the war. I am thinking a trip to Kew at some point is the only way to go! Thanks again. M.