Cavan man killed in action in Afghanistan

munchkin_utd

I was rooting around for something totally different when i came across this from to the Westminster House of Parliament minutes from earlier in the year.
Its news to me anyhow that someone living in Cavan lost their life fighting in Afghanistan.

..this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Ranger Justin James Cupples, 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, aged 29 from County Cavan, Ireland

from Thursday 5 March 2009
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmedm/90305e01.htm

Ranger Justin Cupples, who served with the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, was killed in Afghanistan on 4 September, 2008.

The 29-year-old was part of a routine foot patrol near Sangin District Centre with 7 Platoon, Ranger Company, when he was caught by a mine blast. He was given medical treatment on the scene but died as a result of his wounds.

Ranger Cupples was from County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland where he lived with his wife Vilma.

He was born in the United States on 29 July, 1979 and grew up in Miami, but his parents were from Ireland. He served with the US Navy and was on board the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt at the start of military operations in Afghanistan in 2001 and also took part in the invasion of Iraq.

When his five years’ service ended in 2003 he moved to Ireland where he met his wife. He joined the British Army in 2007 and trained with his regiment in Kenya before being deployed to Afghanistan.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't apprehensive at some level," he told the Belfast News Letter the previous October, before shipping out with The Royal Irish Regiment, "but I'm anxious to go at the same time. It was one of the things I regretted after September 11, not being able to go in there and do the job that needed to be done, and obviously still needs doing."

continued on......
http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/cupples/2897120

Its just a wonder that the irish media didn't pick up on this in a bigger way (i only saw a few lines on RTE).
The amount of Irish now fighting in Afghanistan it might become a more familiar story yet.
14% of recruits in the Northern Ireland offices are now from the republic.
Heres a Dub talking about joining the British Army:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7749793.stm

unclebill98

Never heard anything about that. So, i suppose it got very little attention in the Irish press or I just missed it!

the_syco

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Its just a wonder that the irish media didn't pick up on this in a bigger way (i only saw a few lines on RTE).
The amount of Irish now fighting in Afghanistan it might become a more familiar story yet.

It's a wonder that the Irish media hasn't reported that an American who lived in Ireland for a few years go killed in Afghanistan?

munchkin_utd wrote: »

14% of recruits in the Northern Ireland offices are now from the republic.
Heres a Dub talking about joining the British Army:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7749793.stm

With the freeze in place, I'd say a few now goto the UK to become a soldier.

manutd

I never heard any talk about it, but it was over a year ago.

celt262

I think there was a thread on After Hours about this last year, i def have seen it before anyway.

flanum

he was an american.... with irish roots... he lived in cavan for about a year where he worked in the factory i work in until he got accepted by the british army..

http://forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?t=13582
quote
". He had an eclectic international background having been born in the United States and had grown up in Miami, Florida. He also had some prior service in the US Navy. His parents were based in New York yet maintained a family home in Virginia, Co Cavan, Ireland. In 2006 Ranger Cupples married Vilma, his Lithuanian wife, after meeting her in Ireland.
He was drawn to the Battalion by the Irish fighting spirit and camaraderie. He joined the Battalion and C Company in Tern Hill, Shropshire in 2007."

mink_man

sad