THE QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE P. McKEARNAN, 1ST BATTALION ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS, WHO AFTER BEING DISCHARGED WAS CONVICTED BY THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND SPENT TIME AS A PRISONER IN KILMAINHAM GAOL, DUBLIN. Queen’s South Africa Medal, 1

THE QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE P. McKEARNAN, 1ST BATTALION ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS, WHO AFTER BEING DISCHARGED WAS CONVICTED BY THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND SPENT TIME AS A PRISONER IN KILMAINHAM GAOL, DUBLIN. Queen’s South Africa Medal, 1 clasp, Relief of Ladysmith (officially impressed: 6381 Pte. P. McKEARNAN, RL.DUB:FUS:). Attractively toned, Extremely Fine, Relief of Ladysmith scarce as a single clasp.

Medal accompanied by 10 pages of service papers and correspondence, the correspondence comprising two letters written by McKernan whilst imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol, and copied medal roll confirming QSA with single clasp, Relief of Ladysmith.

Peter McKearnan was born in the parish of St Andrews, Dublin. He enlisted into the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at the Curragh Camp on 30/6/1898. At the time of enlistment he was 18 years and 6 months old, and gave his trade as that of labourer, and stated that at the time of enlistment he was serving with the 4th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Dublin City Militia). McKernan never rose above the rank of Private and was discharged “medically unfit for further service” on 14/5/1901. The Queen’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps was McKearnan’s sole medal entitlement.

McKearnan fell foul of the civil authorities subsequent to being discharged and was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol. Copied correspondence accompanying medal includes two letters addressed to the military authorities, written by McKearnan from Kilmainham Gaol, dated 25/6/1907 and 1/7/1907 (both endorsed “H.M. Prison Kilmainham”), and with a manuscript note that he was to be tried at the “City Sessions” on 4/7/1907. In both letters McKearnan was seeking to obtain a character reference for his solicitor to present to the court as part of his defence.