Former Soldier Posthumously Awarded Gold Medal for Bravery

The Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, presented 26 National Bravery Awards yesterday to individuals from across Ireland who risked their own lives to aid others in peril.

The ceremony at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, brought recipients together to receive twenty six certificates, six Bronze Medals and thirteen Silver Medals. Brownstown, Curragh, Co. Kildare native and former member of the Irish Defence Forces, James Nicholl, received a posthumous Gold medal award for Bravery when he selflessly tried to save a man drowning in the River Liffey in April.

His Citation reads:

Citation ends.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Ceann Comhairle said:

“Today the Irish State recognises and celebrates the noblest impulse in a human being, the impulse to risk our lives in order to save someone else’s. But just as importantly, what these awards also do is mark the importance of the lives that were saved and also those that were lost.

I say this because in several instances, we are making awards where, in spite of brave actions and valiant efforts, lives were tragically lost. Those involved in these attempts know how hard they struggled, the families of those lost appreciate their efforts as do we, the Irish nation.”

The annual honours are awarded by Comhairle na Míre Gaile – the Deeds of Bravery Council – which was founded 76 years ago in 1947 to enable State recognition of exceptional Acts of Bravery. The Council is chaired by the Ceann Comhairle and includes the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, the Lord Mayors of Dublin and Cork, the Garda Commissioner, the President of the Association of City & County Councils, and the Chairman of the Irish Red Cross.

James Nicholl was the sole recipient of the highest award, the Gold Medal for Bravery. His parents Noreen and Jimmy accepted the award on behalf of their son.

Jimmy was homeless and suffered from drug addiction. He tells his story on Kold Turkey.

If you are or know of a veteran in need, support is available.

Irish United Nations Veterans Association

Arbor House,

Temple Hill Road,

Arbor Hill,

Na Cloch Road,

Dublin 7

Email: info@ iunva.ie or iunvahqd7@gmail.com

Phone: +353(0)1-6791262 or +353(0)85-1416459

Company Sergeant Liam White (Rtd) McKee Barracks Coy

UNFICYP – UNEF II

Veterans are a key to any military story; they are the people who served, they are the people who were there. Recording their story helps preserve our past and can give us lessons for the future. There isn’t a community in Ireland where you will not meet an ex-service man or women. For our Kildare Veterans and In the Service of Peace project, we met up with retired Company Sergeant Liam White, who has lived in North Kildare with his family since 1986. Many people in Celbridge may remember Liam and his wife Patricia from when they ran the Order of Malta unit in Celbridge in the 1990s.

Liam, who is originally from Dún Laoghaire, first joined the Irish Defence Forces/ Óglaigh na hÉireann in 1964 when he enlisted with B Company, 21st Infantry Battalion FCÁ. He has fond memories of marching in the annual 1916 commemorations during those early years. In 1967 Liam joined the Permanent Defence Force and was sent down to the Curragh Camp for recruit training. After passing out Liam was posted to McKee Barracks Company; the support unit for Defence Forces Headquarters. At this time the Army was only 7,500 strong. It was not long before Liam found himself on an NCO course and on 26 December 1968, he was promoted Corporal. With the outbreak of the Troubles the Defence Forces were put on high alert. Reservists were called up, and centres established to take in potential people fleeing the hostilities. When the border was established, Liam recalled periods when soldiers were meeting themselves coming off duties and patrols. The army had to expand due to the Troubles and initially there was no relief. Patrols, road blocks, and watching or hearing shootings along the border between Republicans and British Forces became the norm. On one occasion Liam collapsed after not sleeping for four days straight. One of the pictures Liam kept shows him having Christmas dinner while on the border.

In 1970 Liam was then assigned as a Cadre Training NCO with the 21st Infantry Battalion FCÁ which took him all over the battalion area of South Dublin and North Wicklow. His first deployment overseas was with the 20th Infantry Group, United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in April 1971. During this period tensions were high between the two communities on the island; the mission brought new challenges for the young Corporal. Promoted Sergeant, Liam deployed overseas again in April 1974 with the 26th Infantry Group, United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF II) in the Sinai. Not a blade of grass could be found in the blistering hot desert. The Irish men found themselves once again in between two heavily armed factions and vast areas of unexploded ordnance and mines. The unit were only settling in when the Dublin and Monaghan bombings took place at home and the unit was rapidly brought home by the end of May 1974.

Liam served in various appointments in Defence Forces Headquarters including with An Cosantóir – the Defence Forces magazine and the Chief of Staff’s Branch. Liam retired from the Defence Forces in 1989 as a Company Sergeant. Thank you to Liam for telling his story and for his long service at home and overseas.

This recording is part of our Kildare Veterans series and In the Service of Peace – exploring Ireland’s contribution to world peace: a project in conjunction with The Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel, The Irish United Nations Veterans Association and The Association of Retired Commissioned Officers. This production was made possible with support by Kildare Library Services, Kildare Creative Ireland and the Community Foundation.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 – Nick Collier

F Troop “Blue Ghost” 8th Cavalry Regiment U S Army,1968–1971

Carlow native Nick Collier is one of the tens of thousands who left Ireland in the 1950s and 60s to find work abroad. Leaving Ballinkillin Nick settled in the United States trained as a motor mechanic. Military service was not on his mind. His father had served in the Great War and the fledgling Irish Defence Forces, while his brother served as an Irish peacekeeper with the UN in the Congo. At the time, the Vietnam War was raging.

Enlisting in 1968, Nick soon found himself in the US Army helicopter school. He deployed to Vietnam with F Troop ‘Blue Ghost’ 8th Cavalry Regiment. F Troop “Blue Ghost” served in Vietnam from 1 April 1968, until February 26, 1973. Initially organised on 27 October, 1866 as Company F, 8th Cavalry Regiment, the troop was reactivated in Vietnam using assets of C Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment and was assigned to the “Americal” 23rd Infantry Division to provide aerial reconnaissance for the division. Flying Bell Cobra gunships, Nick would experience a different war from the air between 1968 and 1971. Following military service Nick trained as a commercial pilot and went on to become a successful engineer.

Today Nick lives in Texas where he writes poetry and plays. He has never forgotten Carlow, still calling it home he returns regularly. We captured Nick’s story on one of his visits home to Ireland.

Nick is one of the unknown number of Irish who served in Vietnam. If you know of an Irish veteran or served yourself and would like to tell your story please get in touch.

We would like to thank Irish Veterans CLG for their support in this video and Castletown House and Parklands for permission to record Nick’s story on the grounds.

Corporal Tony Maher, Maynooth Platoon, C Company, 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ

Cover image: Members of Maynooth Platoon, C Company, 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ, at Gormanstown Military Camp.

Kildare has a long military history and to this day people from the county continue to serve or have served all over the world. Due to the Curragh Camp and Defence Forces Headquarters, Kildare has a large number of serving and former members of the Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann. Prior to the pandemic we began an oral history project aimed at capturing the testimonies of military veterans and ex-service personnel from County Kildare. Each of these recordings is a window into Kildare’s past. Memories of a Curagh Camp tell of a military base that resembled a small town with its own cinema, while others recollect the artillery barracks in Kildare town and the Apprentice School in Naas now closed over two decades. Thousands from the county have served around the world on United Nations peacekeeping missions; from the early deployments to the Congo to as recently as Mali. Many of those who serve go on to join the charities The Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel and The Irish United Nations Veterans Association; both of whom have reached out across their membership and network to find those willing to tell their story.

Often overlooked are the memories of the part-time volunteers who served locally as members of the Local Defence Force during the Emergency, or in later Cold War decades in An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ), the Red Cross or Civil Defence. During these uncertain periods every town, village and area in Ireland had such units with locally trained members. Their story is as important as their full-time counterparts. It is part of our local and national heritage. Many of these stories have been lost over time, but there are still many out there who remember the old units, the buildings they trained in and the exercises they took part in. In this recording Tony Maher reflects on his time as a reserve Corporal with Maynooth Platoon, C Company, 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ, Irish Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann.

Today, Tony lives in Celbridge, County Kildare. He is well known for his community work in the area and anyone involved in the sprot of canoeing would know him very well, during the 1960s Tony was a member of Maynooth Platoon, C Company, 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ. During the Emergency period (1939 – 1946) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991) Ireland remained neutral, however, the threat was still real. During these two periods the reserve elements of the Irish Defence Forces were greatly expanded. Nearly every village in the country had a platoon size or more of reservists stationed there. North Kildare was no different. During the Emergency the North Dublin Battalion of the Local Defence Forces had a Company in North Kildare, with a platoon in Celbridge, Maynooth, and Kilcock. Following the Emergency and the establishment of Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ), this transitioned to the North Dublin Battalion FCÁ and in 1959, C Company 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ.

At the time Tony lived in Lexlip and recollects some amazing stories of Lexlip and the surrounding areas in the 1950s and 1960s. Tony grew up not far from where Sergeant Hugh Gaynor lived and had very fond memories of him. Sadly, Sergeant Gaynor was one of the nine Irish peacekeepers killed in the Niamba ambush in the Belgium Congo on 8 November 1960. It was Sergeant Gaynor and the service of Irish peacekeepers that inspired Tony to enlist. The reservists met several evenings during the week and at the weekends. The headquarters for the C Company platoons were as follows: the Methodist Church (now Cunninghams Funeral Directors), Celbridge; the town hall in Maynooth; and the old church off the centre in Kilcock. Life in the reserve infantry back then was defined by marching and the .303″ Lee-Enfield rifle, which Tony remembers like it was yesterday. He proudly still has his rifle competition trophies. Drill, local exercises, training in Gormanstown and the Glen of Imaal, St. Patrick’s Day Parades, and 1916 commemorations were the annual routine.

Thankfully Tony was an avid photographer and he has kept a remarkable collection of the reservists in North Kildare. It wasn’t all drill and more drill. During this time the FCÁ got called upon to provide extras for the movie the Blue Max; directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, and Jeremy Kemp. During 1965 Tony found himself in a German World War I uniform and charging across no-man’s land in the Wicklow mountains. Tony managed to smuggle his camera on set.

The history of many of these reserve units has been lost. We are trying to build up the history of the reserve in Kildare and would like to talk to former members. Please get in contact if you would like your story recorded.

This project is supported by Kildare County Council and Creative Ireland.

Cathal Berry TD, Commandant Rtd, Irish Army 1995–2019

Taking part in our Kildare’s Veterans’ and Ex-Service Personnel oral history project is Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces veteran Dr Cathal Berry T.D. in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Cathal is an Independent TD for the constituency of Kildare South. Cathal is a father, husband, doctor, veteran and is a resident of Portarlington, Co. Laois. He is married to Orla and is the proud father of their young children Tom and Katie.

Prior to becoming a TD, Cathal spent 23 years in the Irish Defence Forces. He entered military service with the Cadet School, Military College, Curragh Camp in 1995. After a tough 21 months training he was commissioned into the Infantry Corps. During his time in the Defence Forces, he spent six years in the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) and served overseas in the Balkans, Africa and the Middle East. In 2008, Cathal led an ARW unit in Chad. He later took a self-funded career break to qualify as a medical doctor in Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland He subsequently worked in the HSE Ireland hospital emergency departments all over the country and then returned to the Defence Forces where he was appointed head of the Military Medical School in the Curragh, Co. Kildare. He retired from service at the rank of Commandant.

This project is supported by Kildare County Council Heritage Office and Creative Ireland.

Sergeant Matty Gardiner, 12th Infantry Battalion, Irish Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann

Born in 1943, Matty is a retired Sergeant from the 12th Infantry Battalion, Irish Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann in Limerick. He comes from a large military family whose service dates back to their grandfather, George, who served and died with the Royal Munster Fusiliers in World War 1. His father, Peter, served in the fledgling Irish National Army and Defence Forces. At one time eleven members of his family were serving in the 12th Infantry Battalion at the same time. Matt too has a distinguished service at home and on United Nations service. Matty completed several Untied Nations tours of duty: 38th Infantry Battalion, ONUC (Opération des Nations Unies au Congo in the Congo) (1962-63), the 40th Infantry Battalion, UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) (1964), and with the 24th Infantry Group, UNFICYP (1973). Thank you to the Patrick Sarsfield Branch, Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel Ireland for their support in this production.

Newbridge World War II Veteran turns 100

Ireland’s Military Story and The Irish Military Heritage Foundation send our best wishes to World War 2 veteran Joe Woods for a very happy 100th birthday today. Joe served with the Royal Air Force Regiment 1941 – 1946 and took part in the Liberation of Denmark. In 1995, Joe and his late wife Josephine, were invited to Denmark and he was presented with The Danish Liberation Silver Medal by a member of the Danish Royal family in recognition of his war service to Denmark. He is originally from Barlborough in Derbyshire but moved to Newbridge, Co Kildare.

He is well known in the Whitewater Shopping Centre and is regularly spotted around the town on his scooter he calls his ‘Spitfire’. Joe will be interviewed by Clem Ryan on Kfm Radio Kildare at 10:45am this morning.Joe was on our list to interview last year as part of our Kildare Veterans’ Story, but due to Covid-19 restrictions this could not happen. Hopefully we will meet Joe later this year.

Joe certainly lives up to the Royal Air Force Regiment motto:Per Ardua ad Astra “Through Adversity to the Stars”

Joe is pictured here at the Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony 2019 at the Irish War Memorial Gardens Islandbridge, with the then British Ambassador Mr. Robin Barnett CMG British Embassy Dublin and standard bearers of the Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland.

Photo courtesy of Joe’s good friend Tony O’Connor.

Interview with Dr. Cathal Berry TD

Project: Kildare’s Veterans’ Story

Taking part in our Kildare’s Veterans’ Story project today was Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces veteran Dr Cathal Berry TD in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Cathal is an Independent TD for the constituency of Kildare South. Cathal is a father, husband, doctor, veteran and is a resident of Portarlington, Co. Laois. He is married to Orla and is the proud father of their young children Tom and Katie.

Prior to becoming a TD, Cathal spent 23 years in the Irish Defence Forces. He entered military service in with the Cadet School, Military College, Curragh Camp in 1995. After a tough 21 months training he was commissioned into the Infantry Corps. During his time in the Defence Forces, he spent six years in the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) and served overseas in the Balkans, Africa and the Middle East. In 2008, Cathal led an ARW unit in Chad. He later took a self-funded career break to qualify as a medical doctor in Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

He subsequently worked in the HSE Ireland hospital emergency departments all over the country and then returned to the Defence Forces where he was appointed head of the Military Medical School in the Curragh, Co. Kildare. He retired from service at the rank of Commandant.

This supported by Kildare County Council Heritage Office and Creative Ireland.

Passing of Major General David O’Morchoe

We share the sad news of the passing of Major General David O’Morchoe, CB, CBE, KLJ.
Our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Living in Tara Hill Gorey Wexford for many years. General O’Morchoe was born in 1928. A prominent figure in veteran’s affairs in Ireland. He became President of the Royal British Legion Ireland in 1987. He was also known as hereditary Chief of the O’Morchoe or Murphy clan.

General O’Morchoe joined the British Army in 1946. Graduating from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1948. He served in the Suez Canal Zone, Aqaba, Gibraltar and Germany. He served as CO of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers. Before retirement in 1979, he had the responsibility of being Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Sultan of Oman. He dedicated his later life to the care of British ex-Servicemen personnel and their dependents.
During the State visit of Queen Elizabeth II, General O’Morchoe showed the queen around the Irish National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge in Dublin.
Service of Reception at Kiltennel Parish Church this Sunday Nov 24th at 6pm. Funeral service on Monday Nov 25th at 12 noon in Christ Church, Gorey followed by Private Cremation. House Strictly Private Please.
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilis.

In Defence of North Kildare

Tony Maher recollects his time in the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ)

Today we had the pleasure of meeting former reserve Corporal, Tony Maher from Celbridge. During the 1960s Tony was a member of Maynooth Platoon, C Company, 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ.

During the Emergency period (1939 – 1946) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991) Ireland remained neutral, however, the threat was still real. During these two periods the reserve elements of the Irish Defence Forces were greatly expanded. Nearly every village in the country had a platoon size or more of reservists stationed there. Celbridge in North Kildare was no different. During the Emergency the North Dublin Battalion of the Local Defence Forces had a Company in North Kildare, with a platoon in Celbridge, Maynooth, and Kilcock. Following the Emergency and the establishment of Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ), this transitioned to the North Dublin Battalion FCÁ and in 1959, C Company 7th Infantry Battalion FCÁ.

At the time Tony lived in Lexlip and told us some amazing stories of Lexlip and the surrounding areas in the 1950s and 1960s. Tony grew up not far from where Sergeant Hugh Gaynor lived and had very fond memories of him. Sadly Sergeant Gaynor was one of the nine Irish peacekeepers killed in the Niamba ambush in the Belgium Congo on 8 November 1960.

The reservists met several evenings during the week and at the weekends. The headquarters for the C Company platoons were as follows: the Methodist Church (now Cunninghams Funeral Directors), Celbridge; the town hall in Maynooth; and the old church off the centre in Kilcock. Life in the reserve infantry back then was defined by marching and the .303″ Lee-Enfield rifle, which Tony remembers like it was yesterday. He proudly still has his rifle competition trophies. Drill, local exercises, training in Gormanstown and the Glen of Imaal, St. Patrick’s Day Parades, and 1916 commemorations were the annual routine. Thankfully Tony was an avid photographer and he has kept a remarkable collection of the reservists in North Kildare.

It wasn’t all drill and more drill. During this time the FCÁ got called upon to provide extras for the movie the Blue Max; directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Karl Michael Vogler, and Jeremy Kemp.. During 1965 Tony found himself in a German World War I uniform and charging across no-man’s land in the Wicklow mountains. Tony managed to smuggle his camera on set.

Tony’s story has been recorded as part of Kildare’s Veterans’ and ex-service personnel Story. This project is supported by Kildare County Council and Creative Ireland.

The history of a lot of these reserve units has been lost. We are tying to build up the history of the reserve in North Kildare and would really like to talk to members of C Company. Please drop us a line.