Latest news with #PatrickTierney
Daily Record
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Record
World War One serviceman remembered as rededication service held at Lanarkshire Paupers Cemetery
Organised in partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the ceremony brought together the Depute Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, politicians, community members, veterans, and descendants of Private Patrick Tierney from his native County Kildare. The Friends of Hartwood Paupers Cemetery were honoured to host a moving and heartfelt rededication service for a World War One serviceman. Organised in partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the ceremony brought together the Depute Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, politicians, community members, veterans, and descendants of Private Patrick Tierney from his native County Kildare. Through the tireless work of the volunteers at Friends of Hartwood Paupers Cemetery, Patrick's family has been reunited with the final resting place of their long-lost relative, who served his country with honour. This rededication ensures his sacrifice will be remembered and respected for generations to come. Lorna Docherty, speaking on behalf of the Friends of Hartwood Paupers Cemetery, said: 'This rededication reflects our enduring commitment to ensuring that every individual who served is remembered by name and honoured appropriately. 'The discovery and recognition of Private Tierney's grave is a testament to the dedication and persistence of everyone involved, and especially to Rhona, who never gave up. 'Through this journey, we have also been fortunate to make new friends from Kildare, brought together through the touching reunion of Patrick with his family. These connections remind us that remembering the past can build lasting friendships and strengthen the bonds between communities.' John Tierney, great-great-nephew of Patrick, expressed gratitude on behalf of the family. He said: 'Patrick had been 'lost' from our family history for reasons unknown. Today, thanks to the kindness of strangers, he is no longer lost. We are deeply moved by the respect shown to him here in Hartwood.' During the service, Depute Lord Lieutenant Gavin Whitefield CBE spoke movingly about Patrick's life, his military service, and the hardships he endured, before laying a wreath in his honour. The ceremony, led by Father Brady from St Patrick's Church in Shotts, included a moment of silence, the call of the bagpipes and bugle, and the community's collective act of remembrance. The event came to a poignant close when Patrick's great-great-great niece Sine Tierney played a traditional Irish tune on her tin whistle. It was a touching tribute, and we pray that Patrick could hear the beautiful sound. Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, said: 'It was an honour to join the community and Patrick's family for such a poignant occasion. 'This service not only honoured Patrick's sacrifice but also highlighted the compassion and determination of those volunteers who worked so hard to restore dignity to his memory. The bond now formed between our community here and Patrick's family in Kildare is truly inspiring.' Airdrie and Shotts MSP Neil Gray added: 'It was a true privilege to attend the rededication of Private Patrick Tierney's grave and to witness the heartfelt reunion with his family. "The ceremony was a deeply moving reminder of the sacrifices made by so many, and of the importance of ensuring that every individual who served is remembered. It was also an opportunity to recognise the outstanding dedication, persistence, and compassion of the volunteers whose tireless efforts made this reunion and rededication possible.' Sehar Sardar, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Public Engagement Coordinator for Scotland, concluded: 'Seeing the dedication of Patrick's family and the local community come together to honour him was incredibly moving. 'Ensuring that those who served are never forgotten is at the heart of the CWGC's work, and today was a beautiful example of that commitment in action.'
Daily Record
06-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Commonwealth Stone erected in Hartwood Cemetery to remember World War One soldier
Thanks to the dedication of the Friends of Hartwood Paupers Cemetery, Patrick Tierney's service and sacrifice have finally been recognised. In a moving moment of remembrance and reconnection, the volunteers of Hartwood Paupers Cemetery came together today to honour a World War One soldier who had long been forgotten. Thanks to the dedication of the Friends of Hartwood Paupers Cemetery, the persistence of Rhona Barr and the compassionate efforts of Scott Cumming and Sehar Sardar from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), Patrick Tierney's service and sacrifice have finally been recognised. A 90kg granite headstone now stands proudly in the cemetery, bearing his name—a lasting tribute to a life once lost to history but now permanently etched in memory. 'Today was one of those rare moments that truly touch the soul,' said one of the volunteers from Friends of Hartwood. 'Though Patrick's journey ended long ago, this moment felt like the beginning of a new chapter, one of remembrance, reconnection, and the rediscovery of family.' Patrick Tierney, believed to have lived out his final days within Hartwood Asylum, was previously buried without recognition in a paupers grave. The installation of his headstone marks not just a correction of historical oversight but a restoration of dignity and honour. In a powerful turn of fate, members of Patrick's family, previously unaware of their ancestor's story, will travel from Ireland to Hartwood this August for a special commemorative service being arranged by Sehar Sardar of the CWGC. This emotional reunion will see Patrick Tierney finally acknowledged not only by the wider public, but by his own descendants. 'He is no longer forgotten. He is home in our hearts,' said the Friends group, reflecting on the journey that began with the discovery of one of their own family's descendants, Private Robbie MacDonald, Royal Scots, who was laid to rest in Villers Station Cemetery, France. The upcoming August service will be open to the public, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks. The community is invited to attend and bear witness as one family, and one village, bringing a once forgotten hero out from the cold.
