Irish war hero warmly welcomed in Dublin
Cork, 24 June 1915 - Sergeant Michael O’Leary, who received the Victoria Cross from King George V this week, has arrived back in Dublin to a warm reception.
Sgt. O’Leary travelled home to Cork and was received with great enthusiasm at Limerick Junction, Cork and Macroom train stations. In a series of brief comments in Dublin, Sgt. O’Leary displayed his Victoria Cross and said: ‘It does not look much, but it stands for something, and I shall always treasure it.’
In respect of the future conduct of the war, Sgt. O’Leary said: ‘What we want is shells, more shells, and more shells. If we get them we will get the Germans on the move and beat them, but they are too well fortified for us to beat them in trench warfare.’
Rumours of his death greatly exagerrated
The reports from France that Sgt. O’Leary had been killed in the course of bitter fighting in France have left him particularly anxious to see his parents. He said that such reports must have upset them.
Michael O'Leary's parents. Sergeant O'Leary was anxious to get home to see them as he was concerned that the rumours of his death might have upset them. (Image: Irish Life, 26 Feb 1915)
He agreed that the fighting around Guinchy had been intense, but did not want to describe the combat in which he killed ten German soldiers.
Sgt. O’Leary is on seven days leave.
[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]
