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Major trawl for information launched 22.07.08

More names to go on Greencastle maritime memorial

GREENCASTLE'S memorial to people from Inishowen who lost their lives at sea is to be expanded to include names that were inadvertently omitted and people who sadly died since the monument was erected.
The Inishowen Maritime Museum in association with Greencastle Development Committee has just launched an appeal to collect the names of men and women from the peninsula who died at sea both at home and abroad.
The circular monument including name-plaques and a sundial centrepiece stands majestically at Greencastle Harbour opposite the museum.
It was unveiled in 1997 by the then President of Ireland Mary Robinson.
Committee chairperson Seamus Bovaird said the main challenge for the updating project is getting accurate information including all the names and dates.
"At an initial glance, we reckon there could be at least 20 new names to be added to the memorial plaques but we literally do not know exactly how many would be eligible for inclusion. It shouldn't be difficult to get the names of the more recently deceased but the tragedies from further back will obviously take a lot more time," he said. He said the project would receive invaluable help from the Inishowen Friends of Messine group who would assist in tracking the names and dates of men and women from the peninsula who died all over the world in World War One. At least 226 people from Inishowen are believed to have died in the Great War.
Museum manager Gemma Havlin said the information trawl would stretch as back as far as it had to. "The World War One records are fairly well researched and the more recent names should be easy enough to find but if someone comes forward and says 'my great great grandfather died at sea in 1880', we will be delighted to include them," she said.
The co-ordinators are realistic
Gemma Havlin
about the logistic and financial challenge that lies ahead and are in the process of seeking funding towards the project.
They have appealed for sea victims' relatives at home and abroad to come forward with names and dates and will be examining the historical and maritime archives over the autumn and winter. It is hoped the additional names will be gathered for inclusion on new plaques by Summer 2009.
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