Certificates of Appreciation were presented to a group of veterans at a ceremony in Carrick-on-Suir.
By Anne Marie Magorrian / Nationalist Newspaper
Certificates of Appreciation were presented to local veterans of the UN Congo peacekeeping operation at the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (ONE) Veteran Support Centre in Carrick-on-Suir to mark 60 years since the end of the mission.
The certificates were presented at a ceremony at the centre at St Nicholas & Faugheen Parish Presbytery at Castle Street on July 3.
They were proudly presented to local ONE veterans who served in the Republic of Congo and who were unable to travel to ceremonies held recently in Cork, Tralee, Limerick, Fennor, Dublin and Galway.
Certificates were awarded to veterans Paddy Casey, Christy Hannigan, John O’Halloran, Danny Kelly, John Connolly, Franny Harris and Danny Casey (absent).
The United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Republic of the Congo was established in 1960 and Ireland provided troops to assist in this mission. It was the first armed support mission undertaken by the Irish Defence Forces.
More than 6,000 Irishmen served in the peacekeeping mission with the first soldiers from the 32nd Battalion departed for the Congo on July 27, 1960.
During the 4 years of the mission, 26 Irish soldiers lost their lives in the Congo.
The Certificate of Appreciation, issued by the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) is awarded “in recognition of the dedicated service and contribution made during a complex and dangerous mission, in the cause of world peace”.
The certificate is signed by Derek Judge, National Chairman of IUNVA and Major General Kieran Brennan (Retd), Honorary President of IUNVA.
The certificates the Congo mission veterans received state: “The courage, fortitude, soldierly conduct and sacrifices by personnel brought great credit to Ireland and the Defence Forces and contributed to the effective fulfilment of the United Nations Security Council Mandates.”
It was a fitting tribute and honourable recognition of the local veterans who were praised for their bravery, loyalty and service during their careers in the Irish Defence Forces.
Defence Forces veterans who were presented with Certificates of Appreciation for their UN service in the Congo at the ONE Veterans Support Centre in Carrick-on-Suir.
Caption for Photo Above: Certificates of Appreciation recipients seated from left: Jimmy Ryan, Franny Harris, Danny Kelly, John O’Halloran, John Connolly, Christy Hannigan and Derek Slater. Back row: Bridget Buckley, ONE South Tipperary; Jenny Harris, Certificate of Appreciation recipient Paddy Casey, Tony Marshall, President of Post 24 South Tipperary; Denis Larkin, ONE South Tipperary Branch Director, Dermot Joy, South Tipperary ONE; Audra Larkin, Chairperson of South Tipperary ONE Branch and Veteran Support Officer, Denis Ryan and PJ Slater. (Missing from photo is Congo mission veteran Danny Casey).
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