Cobh should commemorate murdered British soldiers

On March 27, the Cobh News, a local newsletter, published an article by John Jefferies about the 1924 pier shooting in Cobh: unarmed British soldiers and Irish civilians were machine-gunned.

While there were many casualties, one person, Private Herbert Aspinal, died. Mr Jefferies’ article revealed the complexity of the story and I look forward to his forthcoming book.

The scene of this tragedy should be marked, ideally by one of the excellent Historic Town Information boards throughout Cobh. The historic importance of this event should not be underestimated: the attack was launched to change Irish history and could easily have done so.

The attack was devoid of decency, but came at the end of a period of Irish history that was marked by brutal acts by all sides, and at the beginning of a century unique in its barbarity. We need to mark the spot and tell the story. We should also, perhaps, give some honour to the memory of an 18-year-old whose life was taken by the sting of our bloody history, in a war that had been settled by solemn treaty and which he had every reason to believe was over.

Gerry Moore

Cobh

Co Cork