World War 1 Battlefield Study Trip

In the early hours of Sunday morning 24 th August myself and a group of bleary eyed travelers will board a bus to Dublin Airport - The beginning of a World War 1 study trip  to France and Belgium. 

Places we will visited will include Somme & Flanders battlefield sites / memorials including Menin Gate and its nightly remembrance ceremony where we will be laying a wreath.

Ulster Tower,

Thiepval Memorial,

John Condon’s grave,
Willie Redmond's grave
The Pool of Peace... born from a crater created by an exploded shell

Vimy Ridge Memorial and Tunnels
Lone Tree Cemetry
Langemark German Cemetery
Lady of Lourdes Chapel

16th Irish memorials

The Island of Ireland Peace Park

We had our pre-trip meeting on the 30 th July and a chance to meet each other. We are a group of varied experiences,ages and abilities. Each has their own reason for the trip some family reasons/research, some have made the trip before and some of us are first timers.

I like to travel with no expectations and see what unfolds from a journey though I'm not sure this time wither to research the places we are taking in or just go with it.

• I know I have family who did fight in the war but I haven't done much research into it.
• I have to admit also I don't know alot about WW1 though I have learn't the reasons behind it at out briefing.
• I am also anti -war especially with all that is happening in Gaza and Ukraine presently, looking at so many disturbing images that is coming from these conflict areas,I can see no justification for it.
• At school we were taught very little about the WW1,  is it time to learn now.
• I feel this will be a highly emotional trip - if it's to be I will share that too

What lessons can it teach me and that I can share going forward.These are all things for me to consider over the coming weeks before making the trip and while I'm there.

Patrick MacGill

Patrick MacGill was born in Glenties, Donegal, Ireland on January 1st 1889. He was the first of eleven children born into a poor farming family and went to Mullanmore school for three years until the age of 10.

I've chosen this poem by Donegal War Poet because reading it bears such similarities to what we are viewing nightly between Israel and Gaza - the only difference is that it is children deaths that we are witnessing instead of soldiers.

The Star-Shell

A star-shell holds the sky beyond
Shell-shivered Loos, and drops
In million sparkles on a pond
That lies by Hulluch copse.

A moment's brightness in the sky,
To vanish at a breath,
And die away, as soldiers die
Upon the wastes of death.