Successful launch of War of Independence Monument held in Cork village

SCMC committee members with Mayor of Cork County Gillian Coughlan. Left to right: Nigel Condon, Brendan Ryan, Pat Sweeney, Betty Riordan, Gillian Coughlan, Fiona Pomphrett, Charles Hayes, Jerry O'Brien and Liam Robinson.
A large crowd gathered recently for the official launch of Saleen’s War of Independence Monument.
The Mayor of Cork County, Councillor Gillian Coughlan, opened proceedings on behalf of the Saleen Community Monument Committee.
In her opening address, she stressed the importance of local people uniting to honour their local patriots.

The events included the presentation and raising of the tricolour, wreath-laying and addresses and recollections relating to local patriots and to the monument project in their honour.
Participants included relatives of local War of Independence fighters, local historians, a member of the Castlelyons pipe band and several members of the Cork Historical Re-enactment Group who attended in full War of Independence regalia.

Events were interspersed by professional musical interludes, which included the first-ever rendering of a newly-composed ballad in praise of ‘The Heroes of Saleen’.
