Issue 56 SUMMER 2019 ONEConnect THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ÓGLAIGH NÁISIÚNTA NA hÉIREANN Sleeping Flags Campaign ‘The bags we didn’t want to make’

On Monday, February 11th ONE commenced other internet portals, was edited by Raygun decided that the deliverers and users of a campaign to raise public awareness and a post production company. Garret Harte ONE homeless services would front the aid for the homeless Irish ’ from Harte Media was brought in to handle campaign. The Sleeping Flags Campaign was veterans it supports by situating veterans the Public Relations Campaign. quickly picked up by print, broadcast and in specially-created Tricolour sleeping bags Ollie O’Connor, CEO of ONE, “Our first social media and raised public awareness of around the streets of Dublin. homeless hostel opened in direct response the work carried out by ONE on behalf of Dubbed ‘Sleeping Flags’, the symbolic act to a number of veterans dying on the streets homeless and in need veterans. The House which challenges protocols around the of Dublin. Since then, we’ve helped over 900 Managers and former and current residents treatment and representation of the Irish flag, homeless veterans from all over who of all three homes were interviewed on TV, is to represent both the homeless veterans could have faced the same situation. These radio and for the print media. who died on Dublin’s streets, which was the Sleeping Flags are bags we never wanted to While fundraising remains vital, the most catalyst for ONE setting up its first homeless make, but if we can’t get enough funding, our important product of the campaign was that hostel, and the reality facing current and veterans will end up back on the streets”. seventeen (17) homeless veterans contacted future veterans if the charity is unable to keep Set against Ireland’s current homelessness ONE. Nine (9) of those who made contact its doors open. crisis, the preventive services ONE offer are are now in ONE hostels, a further six (6) are To date, ONE has helped hundreds of more vital than ever, providing over 16,000 still in contact with ONE and four (4) long homeless male and female Defence Forces’ bed nights every year, between Dublin, term residents have moved to permanent veterans who have served abroad in conflict Letterkenny and Athlone, and with 95% of the accommodation since the Sleeping Flags zones including The Congo, Lebanon, Syria veterans they help moving on to permanent Campaign began. ONE is also endeavouring and the Mediterranean, or at home during housing. to support a further six (6) veterans who subsequently enquired about ONE services. the “Troubles”. Many come to ONE with As Richard Dillon, House Manager, Brú na depression, disabilities, PTSD, or having bhFiann, stated, “The men and women suffered family breakdowns, with little we’re helping have a special affinity with support to call on. the Tricolour. These are fathers, mothers, The campaign was the brainchild of ROTHCO brothers, sisters and our next door neighbours an advertising arm of Accenture and they who joined the Irish Defence Forces to serve quickly brought Ross Whitaker and his team their country. When they joined up, they were from Antidote to direct and produce a short young fit men and women. They didn’t put up documentary video telling the story of their hands to become homeless veterans.” homeless veterans. The video which, can be Based on advice from Harte media, it was viewed at www.sleepingflags.ie and various 2

Editorial Around the Branches Ollie O’Connor

Cobh We learned from the Sleeping Flags The annual mass for deceased members of the defence forces organised by the Cobh Branch of campaign the value of working the Organisation of National Ex - Service Personnel took place on the 19th May at St Colman’s with outside agencies and how we Cathedral. First organised by Mick Gould several years ago, this poignant ceremony has now can access the corporate social become an annual remembrance of all those served and continue to serve their country. responsibility (CSR) components of large companies. CSR must have a two way dividend, for ONE on this occasion we had a massive public awareness success whereas those involved on a corporate level were giving something back to the community. We were also delighted to see that ROTHCO, part of Accenture Interactive, picked up three prestigious D&AD Pencil Awards for its thought-provoking ‘Sleeping Flags’ campaign for O.N.E. The campaign was awarded one Yellow Pencil in the PR category for Low Budget and two Wood Pencils in the Experiential and Media Categories.

Training of Mental Health First Aiders Mayo (MHFA) and In April Mayo Branch members took Welfare a break from their constant Fuchsia Officers is Appeal collection and had a great day in Galway. They expressed their continuing. gratitude to Officer Commanding An Cead Cath for the welcome and The Fuchsia Appeal, which launches “ their hosts for the day ONE Gaillimh on the 27th June, will help to fund and Sgt Maloney who gave us a very our planned services for veterans, informative tour of the Bk museum. including the 17 additional veterans who came forward as a result of the Sleeping Flags Awareness Campaign and the others who have yet to come forward. We have also been busy in other areas; training of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) and Welfare Officers is continuing. Three MHFA courses have been completed with another two being planned. Funding for these courses has been achieved St. Michaels Branch Athy through the beneficence of the On the 2nd May President Michael D. Higgins unveiled a plaque in honour of Leonard Cohen. Leopardstown Park Hospital Trust The plaque is part of the “Made of Athy” project, which honours people with links to the Co. to the tune of €11,000. The Trust Kildare town. The project, which celebrates a sense of place and community in the town, is has also promised a further €25,000 supported by the Kildare County Council Arts Office. towards the development of the The late Canadian’s songwriter’s link to Athy is that he collaborated on the script of the play Veterans Support Centre in Cobh. It ‘Between Your Love and Mine’ with John MacKenna. is expected that the property will be The local St. Michaels Branch were invited to the event and were supported by other ONE handed over shortly by OPW on a Branches. lease basis. The National Golf Classic in aid of the Fuchsia takes place on the 5th July in Ardee Golf Club. The classic is being hosted by the Michael McNeela Branch Dún Dealgan. All branches are requested to support this event. Enclosed with this magazine are nomination papers for Directors to be elected at the upcoming AGM. Each nominee requires nomination by two paid up members and must also sign the paper to assent to their nomination. 3

St. Conleths Branch Held on the 28th April in the St. Conleths Branch Annual Mass was very well supported not only by ONE Branches but also a number of other organisations and associations including IUNVA Post 9, 3 Bn Association, MPAI and the Glengarry Club. The Defence Forces were represented and GOC DFTC, Brig Gen Dave Dignam laid a wreath. Tom James, National President laid a wreath on behalf of ONE.

ONE Open Night Sligo On Thursday 11th April ONE held an Open Night for Defence Forces Veterans in the Glasshouse Hotel in Sligo town. The night was hosted by the local Erne Branch, who were ably supported by members of the Mayo Branch and the Connacht/Ulster Area Council. The purpose of the night was to demonstrate exactly how ONE provides supports for veterans in need, how it offers veterans an opportunity to meet up with comrades, by what means the organisation advocates on behalf of veterans in general and how ONE remembers those veterans that have passed.

The event was introduced by Pat Cullen, Chairman of the Erne Branch. Colm Campbell, Chairman ONE Board of Directors and CEO, Ollie O’Connor then gave a more detailed brief on the background of ONE, how the organisation has evolved over the last 30 years from a comrades organisation to a charity that provides accommodation and other supports to veterans in need, the future development of the organisation where it is proposed to increase the network of hostels and Veteran Support Centres countrywide and to expand and grow the membership to ensure the strategic plan is viable. A number of veterans from the greater Sligo area were in attendance and the night was also supported by members of the 5 Fd Sigs and the 19th Bn Associations.

~~~~~ UPCOMING EVENTS ~~~~~ Event Date Remarks IMVG Military Show 22/23 June Naas Racecourse, Co. Kildare; in conjunction with IUNVA Veterans Day on 24th June Fuchsia Appeal Launch 27 June Defence Forces National Monument, Merrion Square Tri-Colour Celebrations 28 June Waterford Mental Health First Aid Course 29/30 June Cobh Fuchsia Appeal 01/31 July Countrywide ONE Annual Golf Competition 05 July Ardee Golf Club, Co. Louth (hosted by Michael McNeela Branch Dún Dealgan) National Day of Commemoration 14 July National Museum of Ireland, Collins Bks, Dublin National Services Day Parade 07 September Dublin Ministerial Review 60 Inf Gp, UNDOF TBC September Athlone (TBC) Waterford Branch Lá na bhFiann 22 September Waterford ONE Annual Convention 27/29 September Crowne Plaza Hotel, ONE Annual General Meeting 28 September Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk Ministerial Review 115 Inf Bn, UNIFIL TBC October Kilkenny (TBC) Deceased Members Commemoration 01 November McKee Bks – DFHQ / McKee Bks Niemba Ceremony 09 November Cathal Brugha Bks DF Carol Service 11 December Arbour Hill, Dublin 4 St. Patricks Day Some photos of ONE Branches taking part in their local St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Sleeping Flags / Fuchsia Appeal We would very much like to thank the following: s Ray Whelan and all the Students and Staff from Dublin Business School, Aungier Street; Crossflow; s 10 Potential Officers Course; s Hobby Airsoft; s 2 FARA; s Defence Forces Coffee Mornings and all the individual donors for their support for our “Sleeping Flags” campaign and Fuchsia Appeal over the past number of months. Your generosity for veterans in need is greatly appreciated.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS MAGAZINE CONTACT: Ollie O’Connor CEO/Editor, ONE CONNECT Magazine, Óglaigh Náisiúnta Na hÉireann Bru Na bhFiann, Smithfield Village, North King Street, Dublin 7 Phone: 01 4850666 • Fax: 01 4850601 • Email: [email protected] 5

Annual General Meeting 2019 The Annual General Meeting of Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk on Saturday 28th September 2019. The AGM will begin at 5.00pm and should conclude its business at about 6.00 p.m. Nomination papers for those wishing to put themselves forward for election onto the Board of Directors are included with this edition of ONECONNECT or may be obtained from the Company Secretary, ONE, Brú na bhFiann, Smithfield Market, North King Street, Dublin 7 and must be returned to the latter at said office, to be received no later than 5.00pm on Monday 15th July 2019.

Please let us have your EMAIL ADDRESS

Communication with ALL OUR MEMBERS by post is an extremely costly affair and we are anxious to cut down on these costs and put the money saved back into our Charitable Works! So, we would ask you to give us an email address which you have regular access to. Next year, we hope to send out the majority of our new style newsletters by email with a new software application which will make them easier to read than the printed version! You are probably aware that many public utilities are opting to send their bills out electronically - in an effort to cut out the use of paper and hopefully protect some of the rain forests at the same time. At ONE we are keen to replicate their efforts. All you need to do is send one email to [email protected] and PUT YOUR NAME IN THE SUBJECT BOX! We’ll do the rest. Don’t worry if you do not have access to an email address. We will still post out all our relevant documentation to those who do not have access to email. Thank You

Thank You Dropbox In early May we had a visit from 3 veterans who are now working for Dropbox. Pat Finucane (EX-2 FAR), Ritchie O’Neill and Cormac Johnson (both EX- 2 Inf Bn) presented ONE with 16 laptops and an industrial coffee machine on behalf of Dropbox. Thank you very much Dropbox for the kind donation, which will be used to further the services offered to veterans in our homes and centres.

ONE Membership Annual Convention 2019 You can become an ONE member by contacting your local This year the Annual Convention will take place in the branch Secretary; by completing the online query form at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk, over the weekend of the 27th – 29th September and will commence on the www.oneconnect.ie or by calling the ONE Head Office at 01 4850666. Saturday morning at 11.00 am. To become an Ordinary Member, you must have served for at least a year Branches are requested to forward the names of delegates and received an honourable discharge from any of the following services: and their booking requirements. It should be noted that an Defence Forces, Red Cross, Civil Defence and An Garda Siochana. The Annual Dinner (€35 per head) will take place on the Saturday night. Full details have been sent to Branch Secretaries. annual cost of Full Membership is €25. Full membership is also available The rates are: for serving members of the RDF. Double/Twin room Bed & Breakfast €100 Friday Outside of the above criteria, we still need more active Associate (Single Room €95 restricted number) €110 Saturday Members of Branches, and we are now asking ALL OUR INDIVIDUAL (Single Room €95 restricted number) MEMBERS to recruit just one new member of ONE, either Ordinary or A booking deposit of €50.00 per person (which is non- Associate. This is to build our membership to around 3000. refundable but is transferable) to reach National HQ by Friday 6th July 2019. 6

30th Anniversary of Death of Michael McNeela Commemoration

On the 24th February 1989 Michael McNeela, an Irish soldier somebody else a turn at the front, on these occasions I can serving in South Lebanon with the 64th Battalion UNIFIL was recall looking through the pln, the mass of well shaven heads, shot dead by machine gun fire from a South Lebanon Army the heavy sweat patches on their backs and the endless position overlooking an Irish post in the village of Hadatta. splashes of street water which drenched their tired legs. On the 24th February 2019, 30 years later, a Mass, celebrated It’s then I could honestly sense the determination of each guy, by Fr. Seán McCartin CF,was held in Aiken Barracks, Dundalk in here I embraced the bond forming among us as a working his memory. Michael’s home unit was the 27 Infantry Battalion group. As times goes on in training the strength and friendship based in Aiken Barracks. Many of Michael’s comrades, Michael’s builds steadily within our tiny community. At that time, we felt family, the Officer Commanding 27 Infantry Battalion (Lt Col that we held each other’s destiny in the palms of our hands. Kieran Carey), members of the local Michael McNeela Branch For as a strict rule no man was ever to be left behind, we as ONE, members from other ONE branches, former members a body of men were their to help each other no matter what. of the 24th Recruit Platoon (with whom Michael commenced Today I personally hold that bond as do the men I trained with his career in the Defence Forces) and former members of the and who still serve with me today. That is why I will always 64th Battalion were in attendance. remember Michael and will continue to keep him close to me. Peter McGuinness, still serving in the 27 Infantry Battalion, Today I see Michael as I did over 30 years ago, I trained with joined the Defence Forces in November 1985. Michael joined him, and served both overseas trips to Lebanon with him. I at the same time and they trained together in the 24th Recruit have kept my word to Michael as my bond with him is as strong Platoon. They also served together in Lebanon on two tours as the strongest steel ever forged, as even through the length (61st and 64th Battalions) and Peter was one of those called of years that will pass by it will never ever falter.” to the scene after Michael lost his life. At the Mass Peter read a reflection he had composed which outlines his memories of his friend and comrade. 851293 PTE MC GUINNESS PETER “Suddenly the Fluorescent lights flickers on in my section room, a sure sign another gruelling recruit day has begun. Ill- fitting blue tracksuits are quickly put on as we dash downstairs. Outside in the still dark cold biting morning we fall in as usual as the 24th recruit pln class of 1985. Our tired bodies trying their best to fight off the cold by uncontrollable shivering as our faces are already frozen with the chilling breeze. What lies ahead of us is a 6-mile run, and all of this before our days training even begins. The N C O instructor looks at his watch in the dimly lit morning and begins to check ours names off the recruit roster, as quickly as names are called out, they are answered, at speed as to get going is the main goal. As he completes his list, it’s an immediate right turn and off we go. As my position is the front left man my task along with those with me in front is to lead the pln in the speedy pace we must maintain. Our run takes us through the dimly lit streets and roads of Dundalk town, one by one we pass under the orange glow of the tall street lamps. Early commuters who are either walking or driving to work at this early hour pause for minute to watch us run by. At this stage a plume of steam is now rising from the pln of men and with this accompanies coughs, heavy breathing and shouts of encouragements as we try to maintain the pace of the instructor. Sometimes I am placed at the back to give 7 KNOW RIGHTS May 2019 YOUR You must give written notice to your Nursing home contract employer as soon as possible after of care taking force majeure leave. The notice Question must include the date you took the leave and why the leave was necessary. I have chosen a nursing home to live in and have You must sign the notice. been asked to sign a contract. I’m not sure what to look out for. What should be included in the You cannot be dismissed for taking force contract? majeure leave or proposing to take it. If Answer you have a dispute about force majeure May 2019 leave, you should make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission within six months of the dispute. The Force majeure time limit may be extended for up to a leave further six months, but only where there is a substantial cause which prevented Question you from bringing the complaint within My daughter was taken suddenly ill the normal time limit. and I left work early to go to hospital with her. Can I take a half day as force Further information is available from your local Citizens Information Centre. majeure leave? Information is also available online at Answer citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, You cannot be 0761 07 4000. dismissed for taking force majeure leave or proposing to take it. If you have a When you decide on a nursing home, you are “ dispute about asked to sign a contract of care. This sets out force majeure the rights and responsibilities for you and for the leave, you should nursing home. It is important that you understand make a complaint it before you sign it. If the contract refers to other documents, you must be given those documents to the Workplace at the same time. Relations A nursing home must use simple and language Commission that you can understand in its contract of care. It should not have unexplained legal jargon. The Parental Leave Acts 1998 and The contract should include: 2006 give employees a limited right • Details of the specific services that the nursing to leave from work in the event of home will provide a family crisis. This is called force • Details of how much you will pay for the majeure leave. Force majeure leave services, and how this will be paid is paid leave and it arises where, the immediate presence of the employee • All details of additional charges and fees The Organisation of National Ex-Service is indispensable owing to an injury or Personnel (ONE) / Óglaigh Náisiúnta • Any specific policies around visitors or your illness of a close family member. As na hÉireann is a support organisation absences from the nursing home a rule, an employee cannot plan the for ex-service personnel of the Irish • The circumstances under which you might be leave – it must be unexpected. Force Defence Services. It is a company asked to leave majeure leave applies to the illness or limited by guarantee and a recognised • The circumstances under which changes to the injury of: charity (CHY 13868) contract will apply and how those changes will • Your natural or adopted child (or a THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF be agreed child whom you are acting in loco ONE IS: parentis) • Details on the circumstances in which the The welfare of ex-service personnel, nursing home can cancel your contract of care, • Your spouse or partner (provided by way of providing accommodation which must be limited and specific you are living together) to homeless, elderly or disabled The contract should not include terms that allow • Your brother or sister members in need of such domestic the nursing home to change the contract without • Your parent or grandparent accommodation and shelter and any other assistance required. your agreement after you have signed it. It should • A person who otherwise lives with not allow the nursing home to have an unlimited you in a relationship of domestic In support of the main object there are right to increase or add fees after the initial costs dependency three residential homes for ex-service personnel in Dublin, Letterkenny and are agreed with you. You are not entitled to force majeure Athlone. The Competition and Consumer Protection leave following the death of a close Commission website, ccpc.ie, has more information family member. ONE is organised into over 40 branches about what you are entitled to expect in a nursing You are entitled to up to three days countrywide. home contract for care. It includes information of force majeure leave in any 12-month CONTACT DETAILS: The head office about what you can do if you think that a contract period or five days in any 36-month is based at Brú na bhFiann, Smithfield for care is unfair. period. If you are absent for only part Market, North King Street, Dublin 7. Further information is available from your local of a day on force majeure grounds, it Telephone: 01-4850666. Citizens Information Centre is still counted as a full day of force Website: www.oneconnect.ie majeure leave. Email: [email protected] 8 ANSAC Credit Union Ltd. 75 Amiens Street, Dublin 1. Telephone: 01 - 855 4489. Fax: 01 - 855 8067. E-mail: [email protected] Open to all members of PDFORRA and to retired members, who are members of ANSAC on the day they retire.

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