9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Died:
02/03/1917 (Died)
Age:
40
Summary
Patrick Weir was born in Fintona, County Tyrone about 1877. Patrick Weir married Elizabeth Jane Weir about 1888. The 1901 census shows Patrick living with his wife and child in Fintona, working as a rural postman. By 1911, Patrick Weir was working as a railway porter. He was 34 years old. They now had seven children. The family now lived in Mullaghmore, Mountnorris, County Armagh. Sergeant Patrick J Weir was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died near Albert in France on 2nd March 1917, age 40.
Further Information
Patrick Weir was born in Fintona, County Tyrone about 1877. Little is known about his early life.
Patrick Weir and Elizabeth Jane Jordan were married on 25th April 1898 in the district of Omagh.
The 1901 census shows Patrick living with his wife and child in Church Street, Fintona, County Tyrone. Patrick was working as a rural postman. He was 23 years old.
Patrick and Elizabeth went on to have at least ten children.
Known family: Patrick Weir, Elizabeth Jane Weir, Unnamed son (born 20th September 1898, died 20th September 1898, Fintona), Esther Elizabeth Isabella Weir (born 15th April 1900, Fintona), Joseph Patrick Weir (born 1st April 1902, twin, Fintona), William Alexander Weir (born 1st April 1902, twin, Fintona), Maggie Jane Weir (born 31st May 1903, Fintona), Robert John Weir (born 1st September 1905, Fintona), Ellen Weir (born 9th July 1907, Fintona), Mary Matilda Weir (born 11th July 1909, Mountnorris), Ruby Weir (born 16th October 1911, Newry), Edith Weir (born 30th June 1916, Dungannon)
By 1911, Patrick Weir was working as a railway porter. He was 34 years old. They now had seven children. The family now lived in Mullaghmore, Mountnorris, County Armagh.
Another reference to Patrick described him as a Foreman with the railway.
Patrick Weir enlisted at Finner Camp, County Donegal.
1915
Private Patrick Weir arrived in France with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 5th October 1915.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 25th November 1915: Inniskillings Through Rough Times
Mr Joseph Hayes, Scotch Street, Dungannon, has received the following letter from Sergeant P J Weir, 9th Inniskillings, who is at present in France with the Ulster Division :-
“Just a line to say I am well, hoping the arrival of these few lines may find yourself, wife and family well. I suppose Dungannon is quiet. I saw Corporal John Johnston here; we were convenient to them for a few days. We are having a bit of a rest at present. We had some rough times sine I saw you last. I can assure you my waist has got very thin; my clothes at home will be fairly loose now if I was putting them on. You can tell the boys I was asking for them. I do not like this country. It is very low-lying in places and very dirty, but there are plenty of fruits lying around. I am sitting on the ground writing now in a hurry to catch post as we are for night work. I can say no more as we are not allowed to say much according to regulation, so I will now conclude with best wishes to you and family, hoping to hear from you some day soon."
1916
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 25th March 1916:
Sergeant Patrick Weir, 9th Inniskillings (Tyrone's), is in hospital in France owing to an attack of influenza. He was a railway porter at Dungannon station prior to volunteering and had had previous army experience.
1917
Sergeant Patrick J Weir was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died on 2nd March 1917 near Albert in France, age 40.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 9th March 1917:
Corporal Patrick Weir, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Clare Terrace, Dungannon, killed.
Memorials
Sergeant P J Weir is buried in at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Dernancourt is a village 3 kilometres south of Albert. His inscription reads: WITH CHRIST WHICH IS FAR BETTER
Sergeant Patrick J Weir is commemorated locally on his wife’s headstone in Coolhill Cemetery, Killyman Road, Dungannon.
Sergeant Patrick Weir is also commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial and on the WWI Roll of Honour in St Anne's Church Of Ireland in Dungannon.
Sergeant Patrick Weir is also commemorated locally on the Holdfast L.O.L. 1620 Dungannon Roll of Honour.
Patrick Weir is commemorated on both the Great Northern Railway Memorial in Central Station, Belfast and the Great Northern Railway Memorial in Connolly Station, Dublin.
The CWGC record Patrick as the husband of Elizabeth J. Weir, who was by then living at 2 Boyd's Square, Dungannon, County Tyrone.
