Lance Corporal 1156 James Kearney 91st Regiment

"NEWPORT. FIFTY THREE YEARS IN THE ARMY. The funeral took place on Friday at the Roman Catholic Church followed by internment at Carrsbrooke Cemetery of Mr James Kearney aged 72 for many years barrack warden and chief clerk in the ASC at Albany Barracks, Parkhurst. Deceased had an unbroken record of army service extending over 53 years. He fought in the Zulu War of 1879 for which he held the medal and just on his retirement was awarded the meritous service medal. He was a capable and popular singer and cornet player and a valued member of local bands. The funeral took place quietly followed by a requiem mass at the Roman Catholic Church of which he was one of the oldest members. The Rev Father Watson P P officiated"

Portsmouth Evening News - Saturday 01 September 1923

Initially I found two possibles amongst the privates in Duttons
1/24 2142 Kearney James 1879 clasp. Enlisted 14/9/1869 Holmes claims he transferred to the 2/5th regiment
94th Reg 65B/336 Kearney J 1879 clasp

However this is our man.
James Kearney enlisted 91st Regiment 11/2/67 at Bunkee in the East Indies at the age of 16.  In his army record his Reg no is initially shown as 1159 and then  later corrected to 1156, different to that in Duttons which is shown above.
Served in Natal transfered 58th Brigade on 1/4/1880 (no 682) and then army pay dept (No63)1/11/93. Embarked for SA 19 February 1879 arriving on the 17/3/1879 arrived back in England in October 1879. He was in hospital for 44 days from the 29th May 1879 to the 12th July 1879 with what looks like chronic Rheumatism
Occupation musician and he was a Roman Catholic.