Sheffield schoolgirl’s moving wartime poem unveiled on new monument in Weston Park
“Molly’s poem speaks in Sheffield’s voice, but its themes of love, loss and belonging reach far beyond our city”
Crowds gathered as a permanent memorial celebrating the Sheffield poem Me Brother Dan was unveiled in a city park today.
The carved stone artwork in Weston Park, featuring the poem, is located near the York and Lancaster war memorial within the park.
The poem was in 2016 by 11-year-old Sheffield schoolgirl, Molly Meleady-Hanley, during commemorations marking 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.
Written in Sheffield dialect, the poem tells the story of a child watching her brother leave for war.
It reflects the experiences of Sheffield’s Pals Battalion and the impact of the First World War on families and communities.
The poem has gained national recognition and has been performed at remembrance events across the UK and internationally, including at the Menin Gate in Belgium.
As part of official remembrance commemorations, serving Armed Forces personnel set off on foot from Sheffield Town Hall carrying copies of the poem to France and Belgium, where a copy was laid on every Commonwealth war grave.
The project has been funded entirely through community fundraising led by the Royal British Legion Frecheville, supported by the Royal British Legion Hallam.
The unveiling took place during the period marking the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, three days before the anniversary of the battle’s end on November 18, 1916.
That connection carries particular significance for Sheffield, whose City Battalion suffered devastating losses on the opening day.
Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Councillor Andrew Sangar, said: “A child’s words can help us see familiar acts of remembrance with fresh understanding.
“Molly’s poem speaks in Sheffield’s voice, but its themes of love, loss and belonging reach far beyond our city.
“This memorial gives those words a permanent home and recognises that children and young people have a meaningful place in remembrance. Their experiences, questions and hopes deserve to be heard alongside those of older generations.
“We hope people from across the country will encounter Me Brother Dan and reflect on what remembrance asks of us, both in honouring the past and in striving for peace.”
Councillor Denise Fox, Sheffield Armed Forces Covenant Champion, said: “Behind every name remembered is a person, a family and a community. Me Brother Dan makes that connection through the voice of a child.
“Its journey, carried by serving personnel to Commonwealth war graves, and the public effort to bring it home show how deeply people have connected with its words.
“This unveiling honours that shared endeavour. It also recognises children and young people whose lives are affected by war and conflict in the past and today, and the importance of valuing their voices in our commitment to a more peaceful future.”