Irish memorial day

doulikeit

Yesterday we remembered the soldiers who died in service to the irish state. I think it passed off relatively unnoticed and without much attention, these events are huge in other countries eg, United States, UK, France. So I for one thank these brave irish people for their sacrafice and hope this event draws more attention in the future

corner of hells

doulikeit wrote: »

Yesterday we remembered the soldiers who died in service to the irish state. I think it passed off relatively unnoticed and without much attention, these events are huge in other countries eg, United States, UK, France. So I for one thank these brave irish people for their sacrafice and hope this event draws more attention in the future

How did you thank them if they're dead ?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Ireland is a suppposedly neutral country without the military history of the nations you list, so such a thing will never have the same impetus here.

doulikeit

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote:

Ireland is a suppposedly neutral country without the military history of the nations you list, so such a think will never have the same impetus here.

Most of these men died in un service

Mint Aero

Unfortunately, as evident time and time again on AH whether it's indicative of modern day Irish people or not you'll see a complete lack of interest and sometimes disdain for the history and struggles of our country.

In other countries, Gerry Adams would be our leader by now but nope not Ireland, it's Miriam for president and lets work for free because the euro says we must.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

doulikeit wrote: »

Most of these men died in un service

Then they were in service to the UN, not the Irish State. Other countries dont have memorial services to soldiers who died for the UN (whether or not the should is a different question)

doulikeit

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote:

Then they were in service to the UN, not the Irish State. Other countries dont have memorial services to soldiers who died for the UN (whether or not the should is a different question)

Did they just head off themselfs then or do u think the state sent them

corner of hells

doulikeit wrote: »

Did they just head off themselfs then or do u think the state sent them

Most Irish soldiers are deployed by a process called "triple lock ", firstly through a UN request/mandate , the a dail debate and finally government approval. So I suppose the UN asks first.

doulikeit

corner of hells wrote:

Most Irish soldiers are deployed by a process called "triple lock ", firstly through a UN request/mandate , the a dail debate and finally government approval. So I suppose the UN asks first.

Well if the government approve it then its the government that tell them to go not the un,as you stated the un only request them the government send them, so in reality they act on the orders of the state, reason why the state remebers them

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

doulikeit wrote: »

Did they just head off themselfs then or do u think the state sent them

They had a choice. Who sent them where is irrelevant.

doulikeit

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote:

They had a choice. Who sent them where is irrelevant.

Well the irish government sent them on a un request thats the facts according to you I dont know about the nuts and bolts of it so it is relevant. So my point was compered to other nations it can seem a bit over looked

Faith+1

We have an Army?

galljga1

Mint Aero wrote: »

Unfortunately, as evident time and time again on AH whether it's indicative of modern day Irish people or not you'll see a complete lack of interest and sometimes disdain for the history and struggles of our country.

In other countries, Gerry Adams would be our leader by now but nope not Ireland, it's Miriam for president and lets work for free because the euro says we must.

Let him lead other countries then but not here, not ever. I was never in the IRA, no, no, no. Horsecrap.

looksee

Mint Aero wrote: »

Unfortunately, as evident time and time again on AH whether it's indicative of modern day Irish people or not you'll see a complete lack of interest and sometimes disdain for the history and struggles of our country.

In other countries, Gerry Adams would be our leader by now but nope not Ireland, it's Miriam for president and lets work for free because the euro says we must.

Well then, thank goodness we are not other countries.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

doulikeit wrote: »

Well the irish government sent them on a un request thats the facts according to you I dont know about the nuts and bolts of it so it is relevant. So my point was compered to other nations it can seem a bit over looked

Woah, I never stated that as fact!! I said "they had a choice". No one is conscripted into the army over here.

Other countries don;t have a memorial for soldiers that died on UN duty and I don't see the point of having one here. Expecailly not just because other countries do it!

Menas

So we should have a memorial for soldiers who have died on UN duty because other countries do this...except they dont.
I am confused now.

doulikeit

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote:

Other countries don;t have a memorial for soldiers that died on UN duty and I don't see the point of having one here. Expecailly not just because other countries do it!

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote:

Woah, I never stated that as fact!! I said "they had a choice". No one is conscripted into the army over here.

Apologies I got you mixed up with another post,
1 We do have a memorial day for people killed in un service here.
2 Just because they volunteered does not make it any less of a sacrifice

wp_rathead

Mint Aero wrote: »

Unfortunately, as evident time and time again on AH whether it's indicative of modern day Irish people or not you'll see a complete lack of interest and sometimes disdain for the history and struggles of our country.

In other countries, Gerry Adams would be our leader by now but nope not Ireland, it's Miriam for president and lets work for free because the euro says we must.

Other countries like NI?

Mint Aero

galljga1 wrote: »

Let him lead other countries then but not here, not ever. I was never in the IRA, no, no, no. Horsecrap.

This crap :rolleyes:

corner of hells

Mint Aero wrote: »

Unfortunately, as evident time and time again on AH whether it's indicative of modern day Irish people or not you'll see a complete lack of interest and sometimes disdain for the history and struggles of our country.

In other countries, Gerry Adams would be our leader by now but nope not Ireland, it's Miriam for president and lets work for free because the euro says we must.

Don't be ridiculous, Gerry Adams our leader , sure he'd have us all going round wearing beards, .... oh wait I'll get back to you.

dandyelevan

I'm ex-Army, and a UN veteran that served many times overseas in Lebanon and before that in Cyprus, during their civil war (before it became the popular holiday destination it is now)
I don't believe in 'Memorial Days' so I didn't attend any of the events.
But...there's not a day goes by that I don't think of those young men, especially those I served with that died in 'The Leb' some of those I was with when they were killed, and it's by the grace of God and sheer luck I'm among that sad list of dead.
No...I don't need this State to tell me when and how I should remember them, nor should anyone attempt to take from their sacrifice, at least not in my presence.
Old soldiers of my vintage could tell of the respect and admiration we earned in those war zones from the population, of all sides in their deadly conflicts, and they would also tell you of the indifference of the Irish at home to our work.

True, none of us were forced to go.

True also, nobody went to UN missions intending to die for Peace.

I remember our convoy being showered with rose petals through Beirut as we made our way to the Airport to come home in April 1982. Every school and business we passed turned out to cheer us.

I also remember our convoy from Dublin Airport to Cathal Brugha Barracks the very next day as our trucks were showered with rocks in North Dublin.

That about sums up what I want to say.

Those who knew and loved them will always remember them, while looking to the future and getting on with life. There is nothing to be gained by continually looking at the past. It's gone, over and done with. Learn from it and move on. Time to live in the present and look forward to the future.

Señor Fancy Pants

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Then they were in service to the UN, not the Irish State. Other countries dont have memorial services to soldiers who died for the UN (whether or not the should is a different question)

Well firstly, 29th May is International Peacekeepers Day. This day is celebrated among all Nations that have been involved with UN peacekeeping.

Secondly, yes other Nations do honour their soldiers that died with UN service.

Thirdly, the National Day of Commemoration is to acknowledge any Irish person that died in any war to include service with the United Nations. That includes both World Wars, Vietnam, Spanish Civil War...the lot.

Most of the deaths came as being part of foreign militaries, few died on UN duty. The average Irish person cares little for these ceremonies but that's the way it is. Most have a negative, apathetic attitude towards people who have died in a uniform for a cause not of our own and that's understandable to an extent.

Speaking purely on UN service. I will commemorate any soldier, police man or civilian that die under that banner. It's a job that few know the ins and outs of. Despite people's views on the UN and its many "failings", it's easy to sit and roll your eyes in the safety of your home.

You don't volunteer for UN service for any type of glory that's portrayed on TV for such things. You volunteer to go because you hope, that having your boots on the ground between various, ruthless opposing forces that at least some innocent local will go home to their family that night.

Ireland have the prestige of being the leaders of Peacekeeping. We have our own United Nations Training School Ireland where other Nations come to train. We have the longest UN presence of all other UN serving Nations and are continually requested by the UN when they need to deploy troops somewhere nasty. It's not about faux political agendas, it's because the troops are good, not gung ho trigger monkeys.

Back in the early days of deployments to Lebanon, some lads had an awful time altogether. It was a place that was unforgiving. Some lads were killed by mortar rounds exploding feet from them, some died from a direct hit from an artillery round, some died by heavy machine gun fire, some were shot in the head. We have lads who were kidnapped, tortured and murdered. Sure, we still have a few lads whose bodies were never recovered and were MIA now presumed KIA.

Manning a checkpoint was an ordeal. Searching cars for weapons was a very nervous thing to do. The Irish soldiers greatest weapons are their wit, humour and ability to diffuse a situation before it arises. If it comes to a stage where you have to squeeze the trigger you are already fcuked. Judging a situation on its merits, potential repercussions, military law, civilian law, rules of armed combat and weighting off your options all have to be accounted for in a split second. One wrong word, action or decision and you could be dead.

Being the guy to stop a car full of rebels, armed to the teeth and out for blood. Tell them that they are not passing the checkpoint and to hand over their weapons wasn't an easy thing to do. There's not many that would put themselves in that situation.

Along with the above, some feats of heroism were displayed. Soldiers crawling on their belt buckle for 200 meters to give first aid to a comrade or civilian while being shot at, then dragging them back while taking direct hits. Soldiers running from the safety of a bunker through a camp dodging mortar rounds to go and search for a comrade that isn't accounted for.

Jesus, the horror some lads witnessed in The Grapes of Wrath was something else. That will never be forgotten.

For all these reasons and more, before you decide if it's "uncool", "not worthy", "archaic", "pointless" to honour Ireland's war dead, at least first educate yourself about why they went, where they went, what they did as a representative of Ireland and if you would swap boots with one of them in their hardest of days.

R.I.P to the lot of them, God bless the ones that saw them slip away and I pray that the bodies of the missing turn up one day.

Gluais faicilleach le cupan lan.

Cold War Kid

Humbling stuff lads. My biggest hardship today was not having enough of a lie-in.
People could have a cushy life in Ireland but the way some folks choose to forego that for a very tough auld station in a war-torn zone is pretty amazing.

John Mongo

Yesterday, at the National Memorial in Merrion Square, the Defence Forces honoured the memory of all those who lost their lives both at home and overseas, while in the service of the State. A Changing Of The Guard ceremony took place, consisting of members of 7 Infantry Battalion and the Air Corps, which was watched by the family members of those who died, Defence Forces veterans and members of the public.

The Changing Of The Guard will take place every Saturday at noon, until August 22nd.

Yes it's true they didn't HAVE to join the Defence Forces, yes it's true they didn't HAVE to go overseas and yes it's true that they didn't HAVE to serve in places where there was an immediate threat to their lives.... But they did and for that, they should be remembered.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Another serving member here, another with UN experience. And unfortunately like someone else in the thread I've served along side lads who were killed.

Personally for me I couldn't give a toss about memorial days as there's hardly a day goes by, sometimes hardly an hour, when I don't recall something from my experiences ~ be that a funny time, difficult times, frightening times and tragic times.. like the time when I was talking to my GF on the telephone when one of the lads was shot dead just meters from me and I couldn't tell her why I'd to suddenly go.

Or when you'd be in 'the Canner (canteen) when the shelling would start and you might be a hundred meters from your helmet & body armour, or the safety of a bunker.

I have my own ways to remember those times, but mostly I can't choose when those memories will come flooding back.

Personally I don't need a memorial day, but at times I do wish members of the public were made more aware of the circumstances under which we serve. And while that service is usually (not always) on a UN mission first and foremost we serve under an Irish tricolor and wear it on our sleeve alongside the badge of the United Nations.

Overseas we're 'IRISHBATT' [Irish Battalion].