Appeal for whereabouts of Civil War grave of Kilkenny man who died on December 9, 1922

Local historian Larry Scallan of Kilkenny Military History Tours,  has issued an appeal for information about the whereabouts of a Civil War grave in Kilkenny. 

The grave is the final resting place of Lieutenant James Gardiner, DOB December 29, 1893 from No 11 Chatsworth Street, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. He enlisted in the National Army on July 10,  1922 and was appointed as an Intelligence Officer with the Kilkenny Brigade National Army on October 20, 1922.

He was killed in action in Carrick-on-Suir Co Tipperary on December 9, 1922.

Lieutenant Gardiner while operating in plain clothes called on a group of men acting suspiciously to halt. He himself was  then fired on and received a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

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His mother Sarah Gardiner was born on 19th November 1874 and his father Joseph Gardiner worked as a forest labourer earning 28/- a week.

After her son’s death, Sarah received 14/- per week from 25/6/1923 to 31/3/1924.

She was then awarded £60 compensation because she was only partially dependent on her son for her income.

James had seven brothers and sisters: Joseph, Thomas, Margret , Henry, Sarah Jane, Richard, and Isabella

Mrs Gardiner received 15/- a week from James while serving in the British army and £1 a week from him from his National Army wages. James had served 11 years in the British army.

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Larry has requested that if anyone knows the whereabouts of James' grave in Kilkenny, he  ‘would really like to be informed’.

December 9, will be the centenary of James' death in two days' time.  May he and all the war dead rest in peace.