BEST OF 2022: Remembering Thomas Dullard, innocent victim on Friary Street in Kilkenny

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From February 2022:

Kilkenny County Council has erected two plaques to remember Thomas Dullard, who lost his life in the Friary Street Ambush in Kilkenny.

On Sunday in February, on the 101st anniversary of the ambush the Kilkenny Historical Re-enactment Group held a short but poignant ceremony at the newly erected Thomas Dullard memorial plaques in Friary Street.

The windswept and rainy conditions did not dampen the delight of the Dullard family relatives who attended at short notice to pay their respects and honour the memory of Thomas Dullard who died in the ambush.

The historical record — including reports from this newspaper — show that Thomas was just leaving the Friary on his way back to work with Kilkenny Corporation when he got caught up in the battle between the Crown Forces and members of Volunteers of the Kilkenny Brigade who were trying to get the Arms of the Soldiers in the War of Independence.

At the ceremony, wreaths were laid down by the Dullard and Phelan families and Donal Croghan of the Kilkenny Historical Reenactment Group.

Over the last couple of years the re-enactment group has been working with Kilkenny County Council to erect the plaques. Gargans of Friary Street worked over the last few months engraving and fitting the new plaques on the Friary Hall wall.

John Joe Cullen read a piece compiled by Ms Berni Egan for the Kilkenny People Newspaper on the aftermath of the ambush on Brigid Dullard and her family, telling her story of trying to get compensation for the death of her husband and the death of her 18 years old daughter.

Ger Cody read a short prayer, which was followed by a minute’s silence.

Finally, Thomas Dullard is now remembered on the spot where he fell as an innocent victim of the War of Independence in Kilkenny.