One of The Hockey Museum’s (THM) volunteers, Peter Jackson, has been involved in the hockey research that supported the recent publication of the book Ireland’s Call: Irish Sporting Heroes Who Fell in the Great War, (published by Merrion Press) written by BBC journalist, Stephen Walker.
The book follows the fascinating stories of 40 Irishmen who swapped the sports field for the battlefield; household names who gave up their careers to volunteer for war. Using letters, memoirs and newspaper reports, it features the stories of international footballers, rugby players, cricketers, GAA stars, athletes and hockey players, whose lives ended in the mud of the Somme, the despair of Ypres and the heat of Gallipoli.
The charming yet poignant stories includes one about the Rev. Cecil Morrison, his hockey journey and the subsequent calling from his church ministry at All Saint’s Church in Hoole to becoming 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment before being killed in action on 13 November 1916. It is a very moving story. On joining the army, his parishioners presented him with a communion set. It was returned to All Saint’s after the war by his family and is still in use today.
The Ireland Hockey team that played Wales in 1912. Robert Morrison is sitting at the front on the left. Beside him is Harold Simms and behind him sits the captain, Edmund Smyth. All three would die in the Great War (picture courtesy of Irish Hockey).
Among other stories, the book also follows the remarkable journey of Basil Maclear, the rugby centre who capped 11 times for Ireland and captained Munster when they played the All Blacks in 1905; Frank Browning, an Irish international cricketer and President of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) who went on to set up the ‘Rugby Pals’ Battalion based in Lansdowne Road; and the story of Barney Donaghey from Derry who played for Man Utd, Burnley, Celtic, Hibs, Belfast Celtic and Glentoran, and who was ultimately killed at the Battle of the Somme. A century on, their sacrifice is recorded in this unique and moving chronicle. A full review of the book appeared in the Belfast Telegraph.
Peter Jackson has been very active with others, such as Peter Agnew, in the campaign to document and preserve Ireland’s hockey heritage. There is now a Facebook page dedicated to Irish Hockey Archives. Peter is a current member of the Irish Hockey Board and has held many positions in Irish hockey over the years including the Irish men’s First Team Manager. Hockey is very much a Jackson family passion as wife Jennifer is a medical officer for the Irish men’s setup and son John, has 185 caps for Ireland and is a member of the Reading squad.
Mike Smith, THM Curator, is also undertaking a project to record Hockey’s Military Stories (HMS). He already has many fascinating and amazing stories of both hockey men and women who were involved in some way with not only with WW1 and WW2, but in other major conflicts since the Boer War. If you know of any such stories, please contact Mike Smith using our contact form.
Katie Dodd, 18 October 2015
