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Operation Morthor in Elisabethville Congo 13 – 21 September 1961
In this article we look at the killing of Trooper Edward Gaffney, C Company 35 Infantry Battalion in action during Operation Morthor and the first Irish personnel who were captured by the Gendarmerie Trooper Edward Gaffney Today we remember the 60th anniversary of the death of Trooper Edward Gaffney, C Company, 35 Infantry Battalion…
Cpl. Watters – Congo
Patrick Eugene Watters formerly of Crossmaglen, County Armagh joined the Irish Defence Forces in March 1960. Corporal Watters served with the 5th Infantry Battalion (Dublin) and remained in service until resigning from the Army reserves in March 1965. During his military career he took part in overseas duty during two of the United Nations (ONUC)…
My Charlie Bird Story
I was saddened to hear that Charlie Bird, the former RTE journalist, has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and I thought back to an encounter I had with him some twenty six years ago in the town of Shaqra in South Lebanon. In 1995, Shaqra was the second most important town in the Irish…
Withdrawal of Defence Forces Troops from Mali
On 7 Sep 2023, personnel from 21 Ircon with the EU Training Mission to Mali (EUTM) received their EUTM MALI service medal from Lt Gen Michiel van der Laan of the Royal Dutch Army who is the Director General European Union Military Staff and Director Military Planning and Conduct Capability. 21Ircon is the final unit…
First Chaplin to the Defence Forces to Serve Overseas
By PRO IUNVA This article recalls the service of the first DF chaplain who deployed on overseas service with the United Nations in Jul 1960. Fr Cyril Patrick Crean was known as Fr Paddy and he was ordained in Rome in 1933. He worked in Harold’s Cross in Dublin before he joined the British Army…
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