From Naas to Natal

Two Naas historians will present a talk on Saturday at 3pm  (30 November) in the atmospheric environs of Naas St David’s Church of Ireland on the Anglo-Boer War which erupted 125 years ago this month.

Stephanie Jones and Liam Kenny will stress the local impacts of the far-away war in South Africa in which many Kildare troops were involved.

The conflict pitted an avaricious British Empire against the Boers who were Dutch settlers established for generations in the mineral rich terrains of the Transvaal.

There were Kildare links from its very beginning with the first first British army officer killed being George Anthony Weldon whose family hailed from Athy.  There is a plaque to Capt. Weldon and to other local casualties of the war in St David’s church.

Another local family to be involved were the De Burghs of Naas;  Col .T. J. de Burgh joined with other gentry of the Kildare Hunt in deploying to the Cape Colonies when an  urgent call went out throughout Britain and Ireland for men experienced in horse riding and with fire-arms.

And local place-names reflected how pervasive was the war news in the dying weeks of 1899 with a street in Leixlip taking on the name ‘Spion Kop’ which is still used in local conversation 125 years later.

The regular units of the British army got a short sharp shock from the canny Boers and the British government realised that huge manpower would need to be recruited if it was to prevail. Naas Military Barracks, training Depot for the Dublin Fusiliers, was packed to capacity as recruitment ramped up before soldiers were dispatched on the long sea-voyage to the fighting front in south Africa.

This episode which had enduring impacts internationally but also for nationalism in Ireland will be recalled on Saturday .