Glasnevin launches fresh appeal for veteran's families

Some 39 new headstones have been erected at Glasnevin Cemetery on the previously unmarked graves of Irish men and women who served in the Commonwealth forces in World Wars One and Two. Their military and burial records were released yesterday for the first time.

This group of headstones brings to 85 the number erected as part of a special project run by Glasnevin Trust and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which started two years ago.

A further 104 graves of servicemen and women have been identified and Glasnevin Trust has launched an appeal for their family members to make contact.

Those who are unsure about their family's links to the deceased servicemen are advised to contact the Trust's historian, Shane MacThomais, or use the online genealogical search facility (which contains full burial records of every grave, unmarked or otherwise, at Glasnevin) at www.glasnevintrust.ie/genealogy.

This year's commemmoration service at Glasnevin (at 3pm on 11 November) will see the rededication of two war memorials which have been moved near to the cemetery’s main Finglas Road entrance. These memorials record the names of all 208 men and women who died and are buried in Glasnevin as a result of the two wars.