Time to stand up for Great War’s fighting Irish

Tuesday marks the 90th anniversary of WW1 and here historian and journalist, Ryle Dwyer, argues why it should mark the beginning of a new understanding and respect for the 200,000 Irishmen who fought and the 38,000 who died in one of the world’s most horrendous conflicts.

“THE war to end all wars,” which began in the autumn of 1914, was supposed to be over by Christmas of that year, but the reality is the world at large and Ireland itself is still suffering from its unfortunate effects.

The anniversary of its ending has usually been officially ignored in this country, even though many more Irish people fought in it than in the War of Independence.