Editor: With thanks to Maria Kilduff of Dublin for generously providing photographs of the former Hibernian School property at Phoenix Park and information on her family. Also for the candour with which she commented on her patriot Irish childhood in Ireland.

Given that the Royal Hibernian school amalgamated with the Duke of York's in 1924, every boy at that time would be ripe for service during the Second World War, which reaped a grim harvest from their number. Some survived, but the years that followed inevitably took a toll on them until, by the turn of the new Century, one might have supposed that none remained in this mortal coil. The last of the Hibernian lads is, however, still alive and among us: Michael Kilduff, age 93, a contemporary of the oldest still-living Dukie, Albert Perry of Hope Island, Queensland, Australia, age 97.

Michael Kilduff, living in Dublin with his niece, Maria Kilduff, was one of three brothers to join the Royal Hibs before notice of its closure came in 1922. He was among those who were evacuated, first to Shorncliffe near Folkstone, and then amalgamated with the Duke of York's, Dover, in 1924. Michael was the youngest of three Kilduff brothers – William, Patrick and Michael – who joined the Hibernian School.

Maria writes of being '... somewhat ashamed of our grandfather having been in the British Army, and were appalled that he allowed his family to be split up like it was. I suppose that, like most youngsters, we wanted our forebears to be patriots and heroes.' She mentioned this to an elderly cousin, regretting among other things that they had no family records. 'He made it clear to me,' she wrote, 'that in those days their main concern was survival.' They worked hard for low wages. 'They got a shilling when they joined the army – hence the term "Taking the King's shilling"'. She does know, however, that her father and uncles were well-treated at the Hib School. 'Neither my father nor uncles ever mentioned suffering any kind of ill treatment during their school days.' Nor did they suffer any kind of religious discrimination. Her father did say that those crowding the docks to watch jeered them as the ship was leaving Dublin. They were also jeered again in England (in London, Maria believes) when they marched across they mysterious bridge. The report jeering in Dublin is in contrast with a report in The Times of the same event in which the reporter wrote of a sense of sadness in the crowd that watched the departure. This, however, could be a touch of Times propaganda for home consumption. Who can tell?

Although all three boys made the journey to Shorncliffe only two went to the Duke of York's in 1924. The eldest, William, was 15 in November 1922 and returned home to Ireland. The Hibernian boys did not mix well with the Duke of York's boys when the RHMS amalgamated with its sister school. Evidence of the separation came from Dan Kirwan, a contemporary of Michael Kilduff in the Duke of York's as well as of Irish stock.

On amalgamation, the Hibernians occupied two company houses, reported by Maria as J and K, which were wooden huts constructed to accommodate the newcomers. The Kilduff brothers, Patrick and Michael, were in separate RHMS houses. Both were in the band: Patrick played the tuba (E flat bass) and Michael a side drum. Michael played a side drum on the day of the final muster of the RHMS, which must have been a sad experience for the last of the Hibs.

From sparse accounts available, the Hibernian boys were not happy with being removed from Dublin or being transferred to the Duke of York's. With another boy, Patrick Kilduff ran away from the Duke of York's and made their way to Folkstone before being found and returned to Dover. Her uncle Patrick told Maria that though a child, he reasoned that to return to Ireland he first had to get to Folkstone. Maria's father, William, rarely spoke of his time at the Royal Hibs. She believes that it evoked sad memories of his mother, her death, and the break-up of the family.

Michael told his niece that the Hibernian boys did not mix with the boys of the Duke of York's. (Dan Kirwan confirms this. See http://www.achart.ca/york/reminiscences.html) Michael said they were 'not allowed to look at other boys' (Dukies). He said they were instructed to look straight ahead, which might have been a way to discourage bullying. Maria remarks:

'With all the recent revelations about the abuse suffered by young boys at the hands of the clergy while in institution care I’m glad now that my father and brothers were placed in the Hib school. I shudder to think what might have become of them otherwise. Their religious education certainly didn’t suffer at the hands of the British. All three were devout Catholics. In fact, Uncle Michael is the most religious person I know. My father and his brothers were people of strong principle. Do you think that is a result of education in the military school?

Patrick and Michael both joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when they left the Duke of York's and served in that regiment until they retired in the 1950s, both having reached the rank of regimental sergeant major. Patrick Kilduff told his Maria that he was the first Roman Catholic RSM in the Royal Inniskillings in Omagh, which may or may not be true since we only have his word to go on second-hand. This is surprising considering the heavy concentration of Catholic Irish in the Regiment. Patrick, having had a good service record and awarded and MBE, which he is said to have received 'in the field', was recommended for a commission, but declined. He died in London in 1990.

Michael Kilduff spent a few years in Ireland when he left the Army, but returned to live in England in the late 1950s and returned to Dublin last year. Maria took him to Phoenix Park recently. He recognized it instantly. 'The cemetery,' she reports, 'is not well tended and the two churches are in a bad state of repair.' The main building, St. Mary's, is a geriatric hospital, also in a shabby state and in need of repair.