The Irish Monument To The 'Fighting 69th' Is Delayed

Ballymote Memorial To The "Irish Brigade" Awaits The Arrival of New York City Mayor Bloomberg

Mayor Bloomberg is rescheduling his trip to Ballymote, Co. Sligo, to officially unveil a monument to Brigadier General Michael Corcoran, a leader of the Fighting 69th Irish Regiment that gained renown during the American Civil War.

The Mayor remained in New York rather than leave for Ireland while a significant portion of Queens and Staten Island remained without electrical power. The driving force behind the memorial, John Perry TD, and other officials plan to hold the unveiling ceremony when Mayor Bloomberg would be able to attend, likely in 4-5 weeks.

"There was some debate locally whether the unveiling should have gone on anyway. A number of the Fighting 69th Veterans Association came over for the ceremony and felt like they were left high and dry," said Ballymote resident Neal Farry, a retired teacher. "Right now, the memorial is covered by a timber crate. They made the trip, didn't get to see it."

"Most of us here have been to New York in the summer and know how hot it can be, especially without air conditioning. It's a tough call," Mr. Farry added, noting that it certainly will help boost tourism to have Mayor Bloomberg visit and draw more attention to the monument. "Most of those who came over are military people. They are carrying themselves with such dignity and making the most of their trip."

The groundwork for Ireland's national monument to The Fighting 69th was laid 43 years ago when President John F. Kennedy addressed the Dáil Éireann on June 28, 1963, and presented a Union flag from the American Civil War to the people of Ireland.

"The 13th day of September, 1862, will be a day long remembered in American history. At Fredericksburg, Maryland, thousands of men fought and died on one of the bloodiest battlefields in the American Civil War. One of the most brilliant stories of that day was written by a band of 1,200 men who went into battle wearing a green sprig in their hats. They bore a proud heritage and a special courage, given to those who had long fought for the cause of freedom. I am referring, of course, to the Irish Brigade." -- John F. Kennedy

Proud of his own ancestry, President Kennedy's gift recognized the gallantry of the Irish in helping to preserve the Union, as well as the contributions of millions of Irish immigrants to the United States.

The Fighting 69th was led by Brigadier General Thomas F. Meagher, who had participated in the unsuccessful Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. Originally sentenced to be drawn and quartered, he was instead exiled to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) in 1849. Less than three years later, he escaped to America. When the Civil War broke out, Meagher enlisted in the Union Army as a U.S. citizen.

"It is not only our duty to America, but also to Ireland. We could not hope to succeed in our effort to make Ireland a Republic without the moral and material support of the liberty-loving citizens of these United States." -- Thomas Francis Meagher

The so-called "Irish Brigade" fought nobly in the most brutal battles of the war: Bull Run, Mechanicsville, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. Indeed, the Fighting 69th participated in every major Civil War confrontation until the surrender of the Confederacy at Appomattox Courthouse. The memorial in Ballymote will honor the contributions of these brave Irish Americans and the birthplace of one of the unit's most distinguished members, Brigadier General Michael Corcoran. Corcoran was born in Carrowkeel, Ballymote, Co. Sligo, left Ireland during the Famine, and served as a colonel in the Fighting 69th. He was injured and captured by the Confederates during the Battle of Bull Run. Following his release thirteen months later, he was summoned to have dinner with Abraham Lincoln, who promoted him to the rank of brigadier general. Corcoran returned to the Union army and recruited more Irish volunteers. He fell from his horse (likely the result of a brain aneurysm) and died on Dec. 22, 1863. The brave warrior is buried in New York's Calvary Cemetery in Queens.

During the American Civil War, the Irish joined both the Union and Confederate armies in great numbers and served with distinction and honor. In fact, The Fighting 69th suffered the sixth highest casualties among the more than 2,000 Regiments serving the North.

"Oppression had driven them from their own country," said John Perry TD, who has made it his mission to bring the story of the Fighting 69th home to Ireland.

"They knew of injustice, of the dispossessed, and were powerless to fight against the occupation of their own country. That background was the fuel, the inspiration for the relentless bravery of the 69th Brigade."