Captivating Tipp story in WWI radio documentary

In December 1916, a Private Francis Coreri was killed after availing of a free buffet provided to soldiers at Limerick Junction Railway Station during the height of WWI. He was subsequently buried in St Michael's Cemetery in Tipperary Town.

When a radio documentary maker came across his grave over a century later, his surname struck him as unusual and so set out to investigate what exactly happened to him, his background, whether he had a family and if so, what became them in the aftermath of his death.

The result is a riveting four-part series, which also examines the background to the military buffet at Limerick Junction and incorporates such diverse themes such as crime, the political climate in Ireland at the time, infant mortality, forgotten crafts and the transient nature of certain members of society in the early 1900s. Light is also shed on the experiences of individuals bereaved by the First World War and the struggles they faced. Material such as photographs, newspaper articles, parish records, military records, census records as well as other genealogical documentation are incorporated into the programme so as the help tell the story of Private Francis Coreri.

Tom Hurley who produced the series said: “This soldier died in 1916 but in a way that's where the story begins rather than ends. The story of Francis Coreri is also very much the story of a family. It's a journey that involves buildings and landmarks associated with the Coreri family being visited. There are many twists and turns along the way intertwined with elements of intrigue, surprise, mystery and sadness. That Francis Coreri's surname is misspelled on his headstone is also probed. Interviewees from Co Tipperary and further afield feature in this production.”

The documentary entitled ‘Limerick Junction Man’ will be aired over four consecutive Tuesdays at 6.30pm on Tipp Mid West Radio, beginning on June 21; the programmes will also be streamed on www.tippmidwestradio.com.