Pat Bracken examines the stories of some of the men with cricket connections to Tipperary who died in the First World War.
Though the Gaelic revival movement had a great impact on cricket playing in Co. Tipperary, the onset of the Great War, 1914-18, and the unrest in Ireland, hastened the decline of the game in the county. Many men, from all walks of life in the country, headed for the battle front. Among them were men, who had featured on the cricket fields of Tipperary, either in their youth or as part of a local town team.
An early casualty of the war was Lieutenant Henry Richmond Inigo-Jones, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, who died on 14 September 1914, aged 22 years. He was the son of Major General Inigo-Jones and Elinor M. Inigo-Jones (nee Charteris), of 10, South Audley Street, London. Lt. Henry was a nephew of Colonel Charteris, Cahir Park. From an early age, the youthful Henry visited Cahir, where he soon formed his own cricket team, playing against the local teams in the vicinity of Cahir.
Each summer from 1904 to 1906, after finishing school in Eton, he was to be found on the cricket fields around Cahir. In 1904/05, he played with a juvenile team, which bore his name and, in 1906, he was a member of a team selected by W.F.H. Watson. He subsequently became a member of Cahir Park CC and from August 1909 to August 1913, he returned each summer to play for the club, for which he also became captain. He joined the Scots Guards as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1912 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1913.
When the war started, Lt. Henry was part of the first troop movement, which across the channel to Europe. When British forces came up against German opposition at Mons, Belgium, Lt. Henry lost his life in an attack on a ridge overlooking the River Aisne. He was the first war casualty among those listed on the Cahir War Memorial. He is also remembered on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre memorial.
Captain Learo Aylmer Henry Hackett, M.C., 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles was born in Estcourt, Natal, South Africa, on 22 June 1884. At that time his father was a civil engineer with the Natal Government Railways. He was the eldest and last surviving son of Edward Augustus and Emille Elliott Hackett, Castletown, Ballycumber, Co. Offaly, and formerly of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Edward Hackett was a civil engineer and Co. Surveyor for south Tipperary.
The Hackett family had a close association with cricket in the south Tipperary town, with Capt. Hackett's father an active playing member of the Clonmel Asylum CC, from 1901 to 1913. He was also treasurer of the club. A youthful Learo played cricket with the local grammar school, with Mr. Bouchier's XI, and he also appeared for the Clonmel Asylum club, alongside his father, in a match against a F.C. Burke XI, in May 1905.
After leaving school he joined the Royal Munster Fusiliers, but he resigned a commission before the war started and engaged himself in rubber planting in the East. He answered the call in January 1916, from Ceylon, and was posted to his old regiment initially, and later to the Royal Irish Rifles. He received the Military Cross in 1917. He was killed in action at Ypres, Belgium, on 24 April 1918, aged thirty-three years.
His brother Eric Adrian Nethercote Hackett, also died in the Great War. He was born on 6 August 1895, and educated at All Hallows School, Honiton, Devon. He gained the rank of Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment. He was killed on 9 September 1916, at the taking of Ginchy, aged twenty-one years. He was posthumously awarded the Irish Brigade Certificate for gallantry. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, at the Somme.
In St. Mary's Church of Ireland, Tipperary Town, is erected a brass memorial to thirty-nine old boys of the Tipperary Grammar School, (also known as The Abbey), who gave their lives in the Great War. Amongst those listed is Captain L.A. Hackett, M.C. R.I.R. He is also commemorated with honour at Minty Farm Cemetery.
Captain Eustace Henry Cubitt was born in England, on 23 June 1889. He was the son of Edward George and Christabel M. Cubitt, Honing Hall, Worstead, Norwich. In 1911, both he and his sister, Christabel, were living at Carigeen, Kilcommon, Cahir, Co. Tipperary. He started a career as a miller's apprentice when he moved to Tipperary.
His aunt Ida was married to William Going, a Cahir corn merchant, who was in partnership with Richard Smith, and together they ran a very successful milling operation, Going & Smith Mills, at Bridge St., Cahir.
While living in the district, Eustace joined the local cricket club and was a regular starting member. He opened the batting to the club in the second half of the 1911 season. During 1912 he regularly played on the same starting eleven alongside Henry Inigo-Jones. At the start of the 1914 cricket season Eustace was elected to the committee of Cahir Park CC. He was also a member of Cahir Park FC.
During the war he fought with the 1st/5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. He was killed in action on Thursday, 19 April 1917, one of three brothers who lost their lives in the war. He is interred in the Gaza War Cemetery. He is also remembered with honour on the Cahir War Memorial
Similar to many others who gave their lives in service during the Great War, the death of Staff Sergeant Thomas Patrick Holloway occurred while serving with the forces overseas.
The second son of Thomas and Kate Holloway, Church Street, Cahir, he was educated at Rockwell College. Thomas emigrated to Australia, around 1910, and worked as a chemist in Kerang, before moving on to Dandenong, where he resided for two years, in the employment of Mr. R.A. Titcher.
During his youth in Tipperary, Thomas was a keen cricketer with the Cahir Club, appearing on the same team as Henry Inigo-Jones, in 1909. His father had also played cricket with the Cahir club. His enthusiasm for the game never waned and on arrival in Australia he figured prominently in many matches.
When hostilities started in Europe, Thomas joined the Australian Light Infantry, and was attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps. While at Seymour camp he contracted pneumonia, and although he recovered and resumed duty, it was to be, but for a short period of time. He took ill again and was admitted to Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, for six months, where he passed away on 28 March 1917, aged 34 years.
He is remembered with honour in Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery and on the Cahir War Memorial.
Frederick William Day, was a native of England and he came to Nenagh in the 1870s, where he established a stationery business. He advertised his business as Fred W. Day, Stationer, Librarian, Druggist, & Fancy Warehouseman, 51 Castle St., Nenagh. His father, George Day, lived in Delgany, Co. Wicklow. Fred was an agent for the London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Company. He was subsequently made a Commissioner for Oaths, taking affidavits for the High Court of Justice, and was well known and respected by the commercial and professional people of Nenagh.
He later moved to Peter Street, Nenagh (now Kickham Street). He was married to Matilda, and they had two daughters, the eldest of which, Clara Florence married Philip Nevitt Fogarty, at St. Stephen's Church, Dublin, on 26 February 1913. His family connections were widespread. Fred's brother, Harry, died in Brisbane, on 12 October 1892. His sister, Alice, died in Southampton, on 7 April 1893.
In Nenagh, Fred established a lending library, with different membership rates applicable, depending on the amount of books which were borrowed. In 1905, he was also secretary of the Nenagh Rate Payers Association. He was a ticket agent for operas and concerts, which were held in the Town Hall. Socially, he was a member of the Ormond Club. In 1883, he was present at a meeting to establish a cricket club of 'a respectable character' in Nenagh.
He played cricket, on an irregular basis, with the Nenagh Institute CC. In his business he sold cricket bats, with prices ranging from one shilling to twelve shillings and six pence. He sold wickets for the same prices, and cricket balls ranged from a relatively cheap six pence up to seven shillings and six pence.
When hostilities broke out in Europe, Fred was determined to join the 16th Company Royal Army Medical Corps, as a dispenser. He remained in Ireland, working in Cork and Waterford. He took ill, while living in Waterford, and he passed way on 24 December 1916, aged sixty-two years.
His remains were returned to Nenagh by rail, where his coffin was draped in the Union Jack. A short service followed at St. Mary's Church, and as it was the Christmas season it was impossible to get a military band and firing party together. However, Captain Hickie and Major Fitzgerald ensured that every available soldier was present to ensure that the last respects were paid to Fred Day in a fitting manner. The cortege passed through the town, to the Old Graveyard, on Barrack Street, where he was interred after Canon Thomas had recited the final prayers.
Robert Hornidge Cullinan was the son of John and Martha Frances Cullinan (nee Farris), 6, Bendon Street, Ennis, Co. Clare. He attended the Tipperary Grammar School, and played on the school cricket team from 1894 to October 1900.
He entered Trinity College Dublin, in October 1899, but returned to play for the Grammar school eleven in October 1900. He graduated from Dublin University, in 1903, receiving his BA. He left with a gold medal for history and political science. He was a member of the Dublin University cricket club, in 1903, and played for the A side, Rapparees and Long Vacation. Dublin University had a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd XI at this time.
He played rugby while at Trinity, obtaining his colours in 1900-01. He was also the record secretary of the University Historical Debating Society.
He was called to the Irish Bar, in Trinity Term, 1904, and was a member of the Munster circuit.
When the war started he enlisted with the Royal Munster Fusiliers. He was killed in action at Suvla Bay, on 8 August 1915, aged thirty-four years.
Capt. R.H. Cullinan is commemorated on the Abbey Old Boys plaque, in St. Mary's Church, Tipperary Town. He is also commemorated in his home town of Ennis, on a memorial tablet in the parish church. In Dublin, he is commemorated on a window memorial at St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 2, alongside Ernest Lawrence Julian, who also died in the Great War, both members of the Irish Bar.
Finally, he is remembered with honour on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.
Poole Henry Hickman, was another Co. Clare pupil of Tipperary Grammar School. He was the son of Francis William and Elizabeth B. Gore Hickman, 23 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, though originally they lived in Co. Clare.
He was born on 8 June 1880. He attended Tipperary Grammar School and he appeared on the Abbey cricket eleven from 1894-98. On leaving Tipperary grammar school he entered Trinity College Dublin, in October 1898, receiving his BA in 1902. In 1899, played cricket for the Dublin University 2nds and 3rds; in 1900 he played 1sts, 2nds and 3rds; in 1901 he played 2nd, 3rd, 4th and also on the Long Vacation XI. In 1902 he played on the 3rds. He also played for the Aravon Past & Present XI, in 1906.
After leaving Trinity, he joined Wanderers FC and became captain of the first fifteen in 1908. He was admitted as a student at King's Inns, Dublin, and was called to the Bar, in Easter Term, 1909. He was hon. secretary and treasurer of the Munster Bar.
When war broke out he enlisted with the 7th Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Two of his brothers, Thomas and Norman, also served with the British forces during the war.
He was killed in action, fighting in the Dardanelles, exactly one week after the death of Capt. R.H. Cullinan. He died on 15 August 1915, aged thirty-five years.
He is commemorated on the Great War memorial to the Abbey Old Boys, in St. Mary's Church, Tipperary Town. He is also commemorated on the Great War memorial to the Old Boys of Aravon School, Church Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Lastly, he is remembered with honour on the Helles Memorial, on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.