The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE extraordinary story of the O’Higgins brothers will be told this Friday night at the Festival of Finn in Corofin.
Cumann Staire is Dúchais Chora Finne will present the story of the four brothers of North Clare, all of whom participated as soldiers in the First World War.
The story will be presented by Dermot Hayes, who conducted the research interviews connected with this historical narrative for a Radio Corca Baiscinn documentary, which subsequently won a national gold community achievement award for the station.
Dermot worked closely on the project with retired army captain Fionnán Ó hUigínn and his sister Máiréad both of whom will join Dermot in Corofin on Friday night.
The story tells how Liscannor natives Richard and Thomas O’Higgins emigrated to Argentina to set up a new life there .
However both were subsequently to return to Ireland in order to enlist in the army when World War 1 broke out in Europe in 1914.
Both joined the Connaught Rangers Regiment. Their brother, Michael, who was a medical student at the time left his studies to join the Irish Guards and subsequently died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
The fourth brother Patrick was already a member of the British navy operating out of Cobh and his participation in the war was thus automatic.
After the war the three surviving brothers found that they returned to a very cold welcome in a greatly changed political climate in Ireland and little reference was ever made to their participation and achievements in the conflict. In fact Richard O’Higgins returned to Argentina after the war.
The narration of this story will take place at 8.30pm in the main hall in Corofin in order to afford ample social distancing for all and mask wearing will be encouraged on the night.
All are very welcome to this very special event which launches the May Bank Holiday Festival of Finn.
