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Despite
the fact that the Boers were Calvanist’s with a record of discrimination
against Catholic’s, there was a great deal of resentment and support of the
Boers by the Irish Nationalists. This was largely attributed to the similarities
between the two countries. A British controlled country who was seeking
independence. Riots in
Dublin
created a no-go area for British troops; posters applauding Generals De Wet and
Botha were plastered on walls and lamp posts and the flag of the
Transvaal
Republic
flew defiantly in many Irish villages.
In
all, over 20,000 British and Empire soldiers died in the Boer War and over 1,000
of these were Irish troops.
There
is one Irish International rugby player who died in the Anglo-Boer War. He is
Lieutenant
Pierce Edmond O'Brien
Butler
15th
January 1902
Commemorated on
the Maitland Memorial
He
was born on 12th January 1877, the eldest son of Major Pierce
O’Brien-Butler and Marcela (nee Hynes). His family is descended from the
Barons of Dunboyne. He was educated at
Belvedere
College
,
He
played rugby for Monkstown. And won six caps for
Ireland
at full-back.
|
Date
|
Opposition
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
Result
|
Score
(HT)
|
|
20th
Feb 1897
|
Scotland
|
Powerhall,
Edinburgh
|
|
Lost
|
3(0)-8(3)
|
|
5th
Feb 1898
|
England
|
Athletic
Ground,
Richmond
|
20,000
|
Won
|
9(6)-0(6)
|
|
19th
Feb 1898
|
Scotland
|
Balmoral
Showgrounds,
Belfast
|
12,000
|
Lost
|
0-8
|
|
18th
Feb 1899
|
Scotland
|
Inverleith,
Edinburgh
|
|
Won
|
9(6)-3(0)
|
|
18th
Mar 1899
|
Wales
|
National
Stadium,
Cardiff
|
40,000
|
Won
|
3(3)-0(0)
|
|
3rd
Feb 1900
|
England
|
Athletic
Ground,
Richmond
|
10,000
|
Lost
|
4(4)-15(7)
|
Above the
Ireland
side that beat
England
on 5th February 1898. Back Row: J.Ryan (
Tipperary
), M.Ryan (
Tipperary
), J.Franks (
Dublin
University
), W.G.Byron (North of
Ireland
), L.Q.Bulger (Lansdowne), ?, ?. Seated: J.L.Davis (Monkstown), J.McIlwaine
(North of
Ireland
), H.Lindsay (Wanderers), S.Lee (North of
Ireland
) (Captain), J.H.Lytle (North of
Ireland
), G.G.Allen (
Derry
), L.HGwynn (Monkstown), ?. On Ground: O'Brien-Butler (Monkstown), F.Purser (
Dublin
University
), L.Magee (Bective).
He
embarked for
South Africa
, February 1900 on the Servia, with the 5th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers and
had served continuously during the war up to the date of his death. He
gained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on 4 March 1900 in the service of the
Inniskilling Fusiliers. He was transferred
into the Army Service Corps and was promoted to Lieutenant in November 1901.
Above the SS
Servia which was used to transport troops during the Boer War. It had previously
been used as a passenger ship between Liverpool and
New York
.
He
died of dysentery at Wyndberg,
Cape Town
,
South Africa
on 15th January 1902. Six weeks later the Boer War was over. The
last of the Boers surrendered in May 1902 and the war ended with the Treaty of
Vereeniging signed on 31st May 1902.
Above
the Maitland Memorial. Image copyright Martin Edwards
Both
his brothers Captain Capel O'Brien Butler and Captain Charles Paget O'Brien
Butler, as well as his brother-in-law Captain Hugh O'Brien were killed in World
War 1.
Above his
name, along with his brothers, also appears on the Belvedere College Memorial,
Great Denmark Street
,
Dublin
.
http://sites.google.com/site/caseybooks/
http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/
with
the assistance of and thanks to Willow Murray IRFU, Paul McCandless,
Martin
Edwards www.roll-of-honour.com
Statistics
www.scrum.com
|
The
Rugby History Society