Bernard McQuirt
Encyclopedia
Bernard McQuirt VC
(1829 - 5 October 1888) was born in Donaghcloney
near Lurgan
, County Armagh
and was an Irish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
in the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
(later The Sherwood Foresters (The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) ), British Army
during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 6 January 1858 at the capture of the town of Rowa
, India
for which he was awarded the VC:
, 5 October 1888, and no one knew were he was buried.
In 1993 while working for the Belfast City Council
(City Cemetery) Robert Burns found Bernard McQuirt's registration and burial site in a Catholic plot of the Belfast City Cemetery
. As there was no gravestone Robert contacted the Sherwood Foresters Museum in England and they proposed to pay for a stone. When Robert asked for permission to erect the stone in the graveyard the Catholic Church refused him permission as the plot was a poor plot with many other remains in the grave.
Robert then approached the City Council for permission to erect the memorial stone on a wall in Erney Street (off Shankill Road) were Bernard McQuirt VC died in 1888. This was also rejected. Then Robert approached locals from Donaghcloney to erect the memorial stone in the local village square beside the World War I
and World War II
war memorial
. This was also rejected. Finally a local Church of Ireland
Minister offered Robert Burns access to the local Donaghcloney Church graveyard to erect the memorial stone. In 2000 a British Army
colour party from a regiment based in Northern Ireland
finally dedicated the stone in memory of Bernard McQuirt VC.
The inscription on the stone states:
Sacred to the memory of Private Bernard McQuirt VC 95th The Derbyshire Regiment who won the regiment's first VC at ROWA CENTRAL INDIA 6th January 1858 he died 5 October 1888 "NINETY - FIVE"
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(1829 - 5 October 1888) was born in Donaghcloney
Donaghcloney
Donaghcloney or Donacloney is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Lagan between Lurgan, Dromore and Banbridge. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 972.-Linen industry:...
near Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
and was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
He was about 29 years old, and a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
The 95th Regiment of Foot was formed when the 95th Rifles were redesignated as The Rifle Brigade . In 1881, during the Childers Reforms, it was united with the 45th Regiment of Foot to form the Sherwood Foresters .-History:...
(later The Sherwood Foresters (The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) ), British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 6 January 1858 at the capture of the town of Rowa
Rowa
Rowa is a village development committee in Mugu District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2771 people living in 523 individual households.-External links:*...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for which he was awarded the VC:
Burial
McQuirt's memorial stone was erected in 1995 in an Anglican graveyard in Donaghcloney, where Bernard McQuirt was born in a small village some 30 miles south of Belfast. But his remains are not in this graveyard. Bernard McQuirt died in Erney Street off the Shankill Road, BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, 5 October 1888, and no one knew were he was buried.
In 1993 while working for the Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
(City Cemetery) Robert Burns found Bernard McQuirt's registration and burial site in a Catholic plot of the Belfast City Cemetery
Belfast City Cemetery
Belfast City Cemetery is a cemetery in west Belfast, Northern Ireland. It lies within the townland of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and Springfield Road, near Milltown Cemetery...
. As there was no gravestone Robert contacted the Sherwood Foresters Museum in England and they proposed to pay for a stone. When Robert asked for permission to erect the stone in the graveyard the Catholic Church refused him permission as the plot was a poor plot with many other remains in the grave.
Robert then approached the City Council for permission to erect the memorial stone on a wall in Erney Street (off Shankill Road) were Bernard McQuirt VC died in 1888. This was also rejected. Then Robert approached locals from Donaghcloney to erect the memorial stone in the local village square beside the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
. This was also rejected. Finally a local Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
Minister offered Robert Burns access to the local Donaghcloney Church graveyard to erect the memorial stone. In 2000 a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
colour party from a regiment based in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
finally dedicated the stone in memory of Bernard McQuirt VC.
The inscription on the stone states:
Sacred to the memory of Private Bernard McQuirt VC 95th The Derbyshire Regiment who won the regiment's first VC at ROWA CENTRAL INDIA 6th January 1858 he died 5 October 1888 "NINETY - FIVE"
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Belfast, Northern Ireland)