- published: 28 May 2012
- views: 317289
Coordinates: 40°21′N 26°28′E / 40.350°N 26.467°E / 40.350; 26.467
The Gallipoli peninsula (/ɡəˈlɪpəli, ɡæ-/;Turkish: Gelibolu Yarımadası; Greek: Καλλίπολη) is located in Turkish Thrace (or East Thrace), the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east.
Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" (Kallipolis), meaning "Beautiful City". In antiquity, it was known as the Thracian Chersonese, from Greek: Θρακική Χερσόνησος (Latin: Chersonesus Thracica).
The peninsula runs in a south-westerly direction into the Aegean Sea, between the Hellespont (now known as the Dardanelles) and the bay of Melas (today Saros bay). Near Agora it was protected by a wall running across its full breadth. The isthmus traversed by the wall was only 36 stadia in breadth (about 6.5 km), but the length of the peninsula from this wall to its southern extremity, Cape Mastusia, was 420 stadia (about 77.5 km).
In ancient times, the Gallipoli Peninsula was known as the Thracian Chersonesus (from Greek χερσόνησος, "peninsula") to the Greeks and later the Romans. It was the location of several prominent towns, including Cardia, Pactya, Callipolis (Gallipoli), Alopeconnesus,Sestos, Madytos, and Elaeus. The peninsula was renowned for its wheat. It also benefited from its strategic importance on the main route between Europe and Asia, as well as from its control of the shipping route from Crimea. The city of Sestos was the main crossing-point on the Hellespont (Dardanelles).
I remember the day it stands clear in my mind
We stood down to Dun Laoighaire to wave you goodbye
Your ma was quietly weeping, there was a tear in my eye
As they sent you to Gallipoli to die.
You looked so young as you stood there with a glint in
your eye
and you sang rebel songs as the streamers flew high
Your ma turned away and I heard her sigh
For you are sailing to Gallipoli to die
You were all that we had, your mammy and me,
when you marched head erect you were proud as could be
And it killed your poor ma, and it slowly killed me
when you were blown to kingdom come on the shores of
Gallipoli.
We got only the one letter and we knew right away
It said deepest regrets your son was bold and he was
brave
you were only 18 yet your mammy and I
let you go to Gallipoli to die
You were all that we had, your mammy and me,
when you marched head erect you were proud as could be
And it killed your poor ma, and it slowly killed me
when you were blown to kingdom come on the shores of
Gallipoli.
You fought for the wrong country, you died for the
wrong cause.
and your ma often said that it was Ireland's great loss
all those fine young men who marched to foreign shores
to fight the war
when the greatest war of all was at home
You were all that we had, your mammy and me,
when you marched head erect you were proud as could be
And it killed your poor ma, and it slowly killed me
when you were blown to kingdom come on the shores of
Gallipoli.
You were all that we had, your mammy and me,
when you marched head erect you were proud as could be
And it killed your poor ma, and it slowly killed me
when you were blown to kingdom come on the shores of