MICHEAL TIGHE 1912 - 2005

Ballinacree’s oldest man, Michael Tighe of Crossdrum died aged 93  in early December. He had been in failing health for about 10 weeks before his death. He had kept a keen interest in everything around him up to the end.  Since his death neighbours have shared many stories about him.  The least known aspect of his life was his military career.  In 1936 he emigrated to  England and joined the army. He was assigned to Egypt. One of his more pleasant duties there was to be part of the guard of honour at the wedding of King Farouk. It was no simple one-day event.  People couldn’t recall whether it lasted for a week or for a month.

He had just left the army when World War II began in 1939.  He was drafted back in and sent to Norway. He had to retreat with the allied forces before a German advance.  He got on board a ship which was torpedoed around the time of the historical battle of Scapa Flow.  That shop was abandoned but he eventually he got back to Scotland.  After further training in the south of England he was sent to Algeria.  From there his unit moved on to Tunisia and, eventually, took part in the invasion of Italy.  Moving northward they were surrounded and captured by a German unit in Florence  and Mickey was among those taken prisoner.  They were taken across the Brenner Pass in the Eastern Alps into Austria and to a prison camp in the city of Magdeburg.  They were transported across the Alps in a freezing winter temperatures in cattle wagons.

Mickey recalled that the hunger was so bad at times in the prison camp that when they were taken out to works projects they sometimes took the seed potatoes out of the drills. He did not get his freedom until the end of the war.

Mickey was a mine of information on 20th century Ballinacree.  Luckily, many of his memories has been recorded.  May he rest in peace