Manchester Martyrs remembered

On Sunday 23 November, the Charlie Hurley Cumann in Bandon held a commemoration march for the Manchester Martyrs, William O'Mera Allen, Michael Larkin and William O'Brien, on the 137th anniversary of their deaths. The march assembled at the Republican Monument in Connolly Street, with DJ O'Driscoll, chairman of the cumann, welcoming over 200 people. A wreath was laid and the crowd moved to The Maid of Erin, a statue in Skibbereen erected in 1904 by the Young Ireland Society, in honour of Irish Patriots.

The march was led by the Ahern/Crowley Colour Party, the Youghal Colour Party and the Youghal pipe band.

At The Maid of Erin a wreath was laid, and the march moved on to the monument dedicated to the three. A poem and three readings were made in honour of the three men, followed by guest speaker, ex-POW Ella O'Dwyer, who urged the crowd to support the return of the men's remains to Ireland.