Patrick Friary

Patrick was born in Longford town* on the 5 December 1879, although his army attestment gives an earlier date of birth as 1976/1877; in his initial army attestment, his mother's name is given as next-of-kin, and his two uncles, Michael and John, are also mentioned. 

 
Patrick at first joined the 6th Battalion Rifle Brigade, a local militia, before enlisting with the British Army in October 1896, joining the Leinster Regiment at Birr Co. Offaly (then King's County). His attestment shows that he was strikingly tall for the time, standing at 5' 11.5". He served his first period, extended to eight years, completing it in 1904, when he was transferred to the Army Reserve, completing this period of engagement in 1908. Patrick served overseas in Canada and the West Indies, before serving in South Africa from 1902 to 1904, including the end of the 2nd Boer War; he was noted for gallant conduct in South Africa. Patrick then returned to Britain/Ireland for the remainder of his service. 

On his return to Ireland from South Africa and discharge, Patrick married Kate Whitney in St. Mel's Cathedral, Longford,on the 24th October 1904. Their son, Patrick, was born almost two years later on the 21 October 1906, and by 1911 they had another two sons, Joseph and John C. 

Patrick was a respected athlete, and was in particular a keen footballer and was a member of the Longford County team that contested the 1905 Croke Cup Championships.

He died died in December 1939 from heart failure. 

Link to Civil Record of Birth; link to Civil Record of Marriage (as Patrick Friery); The Boer Wars (South African source); link to Civil Record of Death; A Longford Athlete's Death, Longford Leader, 9 Decemer 1939;