Drogheda Cenotaph and the names still waiting to be identified

By Sean Collins, Historian / Picture: Francis Ledwidge

On Saturday, 7th November 2026, the Mayor of Drogheda Cllr. Declan Power will lead the annual memorial gathering at the Cenotaph in Mary St. The ceremony remembers the men from the greater Drogheda area killed in the Great war 1914-18.

The Drogheda Cenotaph was unveiled in November 1925 as part of a national campaign to commemorate the dead of the Great War 1914-18. General Sir Bryan McMahon accompanied by Lord Fingal unveiled the monument in November 1925 and some 400 commemorative wreaths were placed around it. The annual ceremony takes place every November since, except during the Northern Ireland conflict when it was suspended. In 1999 the then Mayor revived the event and it is now on the Mayor’s annual calendar of events.

The monument records the names of upwards of three hundred and seventy two young men from Drogheda and vicinity who lost their lives in the Great War 1914-18. Local Historian Jim Garry RIP first transcribed the names on the monument and published them in the Journal of the Old Drogheda Society no.4 in 1983.When the monument was been planned a local committee headed by the then Mayor Luke J. Elcock invited families who had lost loved ones in the war to submit their names for inclusion on the monument. The war poet, Francis Ledwidge is listed, along with Frank Smith M.M from the Dale and so many popular Drogheda surnames, like Gradwell, Cairnes, Matthews, Byrne, Clarke, Govers, nearly all families still living in the town.

Dr. Donal Hall following his exhaustive research points out that eighteen of the names on the Drogheda War Memorial have no further information available on their origins or connections with the town or families in the town. This piece now provides an opportunity to appeal to the readers if anybody can identify somebody listed below. Please do let us know. It would be wonderful to identify them all.

Drogheda War Memorial Unidentified October 2026

Front Panel

BENCE. Private, W, Irish Guards. (DWM FP C1 R29).
CLARKE, Private, J, Royal Irish Rifles (DWM FP C3 R3).
CLARKE, Private. W. Royal Irish Rifles (DWM FP C3 R4).

Back Panel

LEONARD, Private, F, Argyll and Sutherland Highlander. (DWM BP C1 R27)
McDONNELL, Private, P, Royal Munster Fusiliers. (DWM BP C3 R7) Possibly McDONALD, Private, PETER, 14115, 2 Battalion attached 3 Trench Mortar Battery. Royal Munster Fusiliers, from Termonfeckin.

MOLLOY, Private, W, Irish Guards. (DWM BP C2 R23).
MORGAN, Private, W, Royal Irish Fusiliers. (DWM BP C2 R19)
MULROY, Private, M, NLF. (DWM BP C2 R24)NLF = North Lancashire Fusiliers? No such regiment though frequently used. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment or Lancashire Fusiliers. Possibly 21508 Lancashire Fusiliers kia 30/09/1918, but no connection established with Drogheda.

Back Panel Lower