Major Michael O'Leary VC.
Michael O'Leary was a very brave
young soldier, serving in the
British Army during World War 1,
who was awarded the Victoria
Cross (VC) for conspicuous
bravery in the field of battle.
The VC is probably the most
prestigious and coveted
award for bravery in the World.
Awarded for outstanding deeds,
it ranks before all other
honours in Britain. Very
few are awarded, and these are
all heroic and magnificent acts
of valour.
The medal was
instituted in 1857 and is
normally only awarded during
times of War. It is a
simple bronze cross, with a deep
crimson ribbon which the proud
recipients wear before all other
medals or honours.
No one
can wear a VC because of some
deed done by their father or
ancestor. No VCs are sent
to the Front with the rations,
and no one can inherit one.
It marks a single deed of
amazing bravery done by that one
person, and marks him out for
life.
In the 140 years of its
existence, less than 1400 VCs
have been awarded.
By
their very nature, many VCs have
to be awarded posthumously.
Michael was one of the fortunate
few to survive in battle, and
lived a long and happy life
afterwards.
He was the first
man in the Irish Guards to be
awarded the VC. and this
happened in the Front in France
in 1915.
He was born in
Inchigeelagh Parish in 1888 and
belonged to the O'Leary Riabhach
family. His father was Daniel
O'Leary from Cooleen townland,
and his mother was Margaret
Lucey.
After leaving
Kilbarry National School, young
Michael joined the Royal Navy in
1904 and served as a Stoker.
He was invalided out due to
rheumatism. Later in 1909
he served in the Irish
Guards until 1913. He then
emigrated to Canada and tried
his luck with the North West
Mounted Police until the War
started in 1914 when he was
recalled to the colours as a
reservist, and was sent to the
Front with the First Battalion
Irish Guards with the rank of
Lance-Corporal.
He won
his VC at Cuinchy on February
1st. 1915 and was promoted to
Sergeant on the field.
After a period acting as an aid
to recruitment in Britain, he
applied for a commission, and
was transferred to the Connaught
Rangers as a first Lieutenant.
He served in Salonika where he
was mentioned in despatches, was
awarded the Russian Cross of
St.George in 1915, and left the
Army at the end of the War as a
Captain. He married Greta
Hegarty of Ballyvourney in 1919,
and they brought up a family of
six sons and a daughter. He
spent several years in Canada
after the War, then returned
with his family to England.
He rejoined the Army at the
start of World War 2 which he
finished as a Major. He
died in1961 and is buried in
St.Mary's Cemetery, Mill Hill,
London. His VC was
presented to the Irish Guards
Regiment by his sons, and is
kept in their Regimental
Archives.