Posted by murrisk on October 07, 2000 at 20:41:09:
Castlebar man John Roach served in the Connaught Rangers in the Boer War and in World War I. From his service
in the Boer War he was known as "Botha" Roach after General Botha a central figure of that war. In 1918 he was
awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for valour in in a particular action in World War I. Having served in the
Boer War would put him in his late teens or early twenties at the turn of the century - twenty. By 1965 he would
have been too old to be the "Batha Roach" of County Cinema fame ?? ? Does anyone know if he and
"Batha Roach" were related or even the same person -Botha corrupted to Batha.