*The Irish Red Cross at Ennis’ St Patrick’s Day Parade in 2024
FAMILIES and communities across Ireland are being invited to help recover and share the stories of Irish men and women who served with the Irish Red Cross Hospital in St Lô, Normandy, between December 1945 and January 1947.
In the aftermath of the Second World War, the town of St Lô lay in ruins. In response, Ireland made an extraordinary humanitarian gesture by sending medical and support staff to establish and run a Red Cross hospital for the local population. Doctors, nurses, orderlies, cooks, drivers, and volunteers left home to help a community they had never met, offering care, compassion, and hope at a time of great need.
Amongst those who worked there included County Clare doctor Desmond John Leahy, and Liscannor nurse Nora O’Connor.
Catherine Gagneux, French Honorary Consul based in Galway, is reaching out to the public to help reconnect those individual stories with the wider Irish community. She is gathering memories, family records, photographs, letters, and personal recollections for a forthcoming exhibition dedicated to the Irish Red Cross Hospital in St Lô.
Many families may know that a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle “went to France after the war,” without realising the historical importance of their contribution. Others may have kept quiet mementoes—an old photograph, a diary, a Red Cross badge, or a letter home — that could now help complete the picture of this remarkable chapter in Irish humanitarian history.
Relatives, descendants, and anyone with information — no matter how small — are encouraged to come forward. Every memory helps, and every contribution matters.
Please contact Catherine via email at catherinegagneux@gmail.com.
