An Cosantóir

Turn where you will, read what history you choose, no one can say that in the day of battle – Irishmen did less than their duty. And now that the day of battle is past and we are in civilian clothes again, our duty is not at the end. We have come back to a world which was utterly changed, wherein the old landmarks have vanished, but the old orders stand. ''Look to your front'', ''hold your head up'', obey the orders of those in authority: above all, have courage. That is what Ireland needs to-day and if we are strong enough to do that we shall once again be rendering a supreme service to our country, and Ireland will have the cause to be proud of us not only as soldiers, but as citizens." — Major Bryan Cooper MC TD, Armistice Day, Killester 1923 The event was also attended to by two National Army Buglers who played at the event in remembrance of the Killester veterans fallen comrades in WW1; all of this taking place with the Irish Civil War taking place in the background. During 'The Emergency' in Killester the ex-servicemen and now their sons played a part in both supporting the Defence Forces or in supporting the Allied Forces. An Air Raid Precaution unit (ARP) and Local Defence Force (LDF) was set up during WW2 both serving to protect the community of Killester and surrounding areas in case of bombings or invasion. A story passed on from an elderly resident who remembers the unit jokingly said that the ARP unit in Killester was the best trained in Ireland due to them all being WW1 veterans! Another factor of WW2 in Killester was that many of the original WW1 ex-servicemen and now their sons went onto serve and fight in the British Forces in support of the Allied Forces, tragically some of their sons did not return to Killester post WW2. As the Killester Garden Village is in its centenary year 1923- 2023, 100 years since the completion of this Great War veterans housing estate which is a flagship and prime model of housing the Killester Garden Village Committee plans to mark the centenary with a Community Day on Saturday 26th August where we hope to launch the Killester Centenary Book which comprises of the first full and detailed history of all the original 247 WW1 ex-servicemen and families. This project is currently being researched by Michael Nugent and Nigel Henderson who are two WW1 researchers from Northern Ireland. Alongside this research and publication project our committee are currently engaging with Dublin City Council in an effort to create a small community garden at the green in Abbeyfield in the estate, this will be also mark the centenary in creating a public amenity for all in the community today and will have an interpretation signage showcasing our communities unique and often hidden history in Dublin. I, Aaron Crampton, am the current Chairman of the Killester Garden Village Committee and founded the group a number of years ago. I am a 4th generation resident of Killester, as my Great Grandfather Sgt John Brophy was allocated a bungalow in Abbeyfield in 1928, he was formerly of the Highland Light Infantry and Royal Military Police, fought and survived both WW1 and WW2 and was in various battles throughout WW1 and also involved in Dunkirk in WW2. We now host an annual remembrance ceremony every November and have both Defence Forces and British Army veterans in attendance. Our group wish to promote our community's unique military and social history, remembering and honouring the ex- servicemen/women of the Killester Garden Village, and promoting the efforts of peace and reconciliation and shared history of the Irish Soldier in WW1 as both communities North and South took part and sacrificed together. An Cosantóir July / August 2023 www.military.ie/magazine Residents of Killester, veterans from the ONE, Royal British Legion and IUNVA with the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the Killester Remembrance Ceremony in 2022 You can find out more about us, the area and our project on Facebook, Twitter (Killester Garden Village Committee) and on our website

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