Canadian Ambassador to unveil memorial to Athboy's WWI hero

 Canadian Ambassador Kevin Vickers will this evening unveil a memorial plaque in the grounds of St James Church of Ireland, Athboy to Lt Frederick Harvey, an Athboy born recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Born in Athboy in 1888, Frederick Harvey was the son of Rev AT Harvey, then Church of Ireland rector. A gifted sportsman, he played rugby union for Ireland in 1907 Home Nations and 1911 Five Nations Championship. In 1908, Harvey emigrated to Canada where he worked as a surveyor. Upon the outbreak of World War I, he joined the Canadian army as part of Lord Strathcona's cavalry regiment. Frederick Harvey died in Canada in 1980, aged 91.

The unveiling takes place in the centenary year of Harvey's being awarded the Victoria Cross for “conspicuous courage in the face of the enemy”. On 27 March 1917,  Frederick Harvey, led a cavalry charge on Guyencourt, France. Under heavy fire and armed only with a revolver captured a German machine gun while under heavy fire allowing his regiment to capture the town.

The commemoration is the result of nine months work by Bernard Walsh, a member of the Athboy 100 local history group. Knowing that this year would mark a century since Harvey had been awarded the Victoria Cross, Walsh contacted the British Home Office who provide memorials for all VC recipients. On how he went about obtaining the memorial for Athboy, Walsh noted: “It took a lot of hard work and effort to get arrange to get the plaque to Frederick Harvey's place of birth”. There are already memorials to Irish VC recipients on display in Glasnevin Cemetery but at Walsh's request, the Home Office created a stone plaque for Frederick Harvey to be displayed in Athboy. 

Alongside Ambassador Vickers will be a number of other dignitaries will be in attendance, including Rev. Patrick Harvey,  Rector in Abbeyleix, grandnephew of Frederick Harvey.  The event has been arranged with the assistance of Meath County Council, Boyne Valley Tourism, the Athboy 100 committee and the local Church of Ireland. The ceremony will take place at St James Church of Ireland, Athboy at 4 pm on Friday 20th October.