Members of the Defence Forces have joined a search for the remains of Patrick Sarsfield in Belgium, as a campaign to try repatriate the Irish war hero back to Ireland enters its final phase.
Sarsfield is best known for his defence of Limerick against the forces of William of Orange in 1690 in an event known as the Siege of Limerick.
Records indicate he was buried in an unmarked grave on the site of a church in the small Belgian city of Huy after being killed fighting for France's King Louis XIV in Landen in 1693.
Dr Loïc Guyon founded the Sarsfield Homecoming Project in 2020 with the goal of finding Sarsfield's remains and returning them to Limerick.
A huge excavation project was launched at the site of the old St Martin's Church in Huy in 2023.
Last January, the team discovered two bodies in the cellar area of the church, however, DNA test results later found that they belonged to two local men.
Last month, more remains were discovered - a lower leg bone, a humerus, an ulna, and a right metatarsal bone - in an ancient grave.
The team believe these remains are a strong contender to belong to Sarsfield, however they will have to wait a few months before DNA results return.
In the meantime, Sergeant Dave O'Brien and Private James Fleming, two Defence Forces members from the 12th Infantry Battalion at Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick, have travelled to Huy to help the team with the excavation of the remaining part of the site.
The team also received a high-profile visit from General Seán Clancy, former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces and current Chair of the EU’s Military Committee.
General Clancy and his entourage were welcomed to the site by Mayor of Huy Christophe Collignon and Dr Guyon.
Dr Guyon said: "My team and I were greatly honoured by General Clancy’s visit and his interest in the project. We are also extremely grateful to Lieutenant Colonel Damian Carroll ... for his willingness to send two soldiers from Limerick to Huy to assist us with the excavations."
Following his visit, General Clancy said: "I wish to commend Dr Loïc Guyon and his team for their exceptional work as part of the Sarsfield Homecoming Project, which brings together history, scholarship, and European cooperation in a truly meaningful way.
"Their dedication has not only advanced our understanding of Patrick Sarsfield's life and legacy, but also reminded us that Ireland’s story has always been intertwined with Europe’s.
"This project exemplifies the spirit of unity and shared heritage that underpins the EU, showing that the bonds between nations are strengthened not only through defence and diplomacy, but also through respect for our common past."
The project's team expects the archaeological works to be completed by spring next year.
