Stalybridge Jack Judge "Tipperary" Memorial

An unusual memorial dedicated to a song, it is located outside the old market hall on Trinity Street in Stalybridge.

The story goes that on 30 January 1912, Jack Judge was appearing at the Grand Theatre in Stalybridge and was bet by another artiest he couldn't write a song in 24 hours. The next night he performed "Tipperary" and won his 5 shilling wager. The Daily Mail reported that the Connaught Rangers were noted singing the song whilst marching through Boulogne on 13 August 1914, with John McCormack recording it in 1914 increasing its popularity. It became a favourite marching song of the troops during the Great War.

JACK JUDGE

accompanied by a WW1 soldier

Inspired to compose the famous marching song

"It's a Long Way to Tipperary"

He was the first to sing it publicly in 1912

at the Grand Theatre in Stalybridge,

the town of its conception.

All photographs by Chris Gleave, information from writers.warpoetry.co.uk