On Monday's Who Do You Think You Are? the show will follow Paul Merton through the life and death of his grandfather James Power.
Paul Merton tracked James to Crooke in Passage East right here in Waterford. Paul and his family never truly knew about the death of his grandfather or where exactly he came from.
Declan and Josie Barry from Crooke in Passage East, relatives of Paul Merton joined Damien this morning to share with him their findings and the history of their family.
James Power worked as a farm labourer, and was enlisted to the British Army to fight in the First World War. James then fought for the Royal Irish Regiment in Dublin during the Easter Rising in 1916. For his efforts he was awarded the Victory Medal and the British Medal which James handed back. James was horrified at the idea of firing at other Irish men. He then returned the medals and joined the Old IRA.
James married and had two children and moved to the UK and worked there as a fireman for the Merchant Navy. He joined a boat called the Sheaf Lance and was sailing to Brazil due to return in Wales in April 1927. James never returned and his family thought he died at sea. His wife, Julia, pregnant at the time, heard the news and went in to premature labour. She had a son who died and Julia died a few days later. Their two children Nellie and Mary-Ann, the latter was Paul's mother. They were sent to their family the Barry's back in Crooke to be raised by their aunt.
Mary Ann later moved to England to train to be a nurse. Here she married and had her children of her own Paul and Angela. Paul's mother Mary-Ann never knew what happened to her father. She never knew the mystery behind his death or where he was buried. Paul uncovers this mystery and finds his grandfathers grave being the first family member to ever visit his grave.
The episode of Who Do You Think You Are? will be air on the BBC One on Wednesday night at 9pm.
Listen to Declan and Josie speak to Damien on Monday's Déise Today below:
