00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:29 Page 1 THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE ( E S T A B L I S H E D 1 9 4 0 ) OCTOBER 2009 d f m a g a z i n e . i e €3.00 (Stg £2.70) Paras page 12 RDF page 25 IUNVA page 28 ISSN 0010-9460 0 8 9 770010 946001 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:29 Page 2 2 AN COSANTÓIR October 2009 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:39 Page 3 An Cosantóir V O L U M E 6 9 N u m b e r 8 OCTOBER 2 0 0 9 MANAGER: CISM Cycling Earning the Capt Pádraic Kennedy Defence Forces host 9 Third Stripe 25 international military Report on a recent EDITOR: cycling championships. RDF Standard NCOs Sgt David Nagle course. Journalist: Wesley Bourke Report by Report by Terry McLaughlin Wesley Bourke Pte Neil Richardson CONNECT: Out of the Sky Sun, Cpl Paul O’Neill onto the 12 Sightseeing 28 PHOTOGRAPHER: Armn Billy Galligan Battlefield and Soldiers New parachute Veterans visit Cyprus. SUBSCRIPTIONS: course in the DF. Cpl Paul O’Neill Report by Report ADVERTISING: Wesley Bourke By Sgt Bert O’Leary EU Publishing Michael Whelan Brian Clarke An NCO and a Mission Ready Tel: 01 7071931 Gentleman 16 Chad Bound 30 Email: [email protected] Interview with Sgt Troops get ready for [email protected] Maj Willie Scott. overseas service in Printed by Chad. Turner Print Group, Longford. Report by Report Wesley Bourke By Wesley Bourke The fact that an article appears in this magazine does not indi- A Day at the Military cate official approval of the views expressed by the author. Races 18 Insignia 32 Results from this Badges of Air Corps © Published by year’s 30th anniver- No 1 Operations OiC Public Relations Section sary race. Wing. for the Defence Forces at DFHQ, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7, Ireland. Report by Report by Tel: 01 8042691 Sgt David Nagle Flt Sgt James G Perkins Fax: 01 6779018 E-mail: ancosantoir Exercise An @defenceforces.iol.ie Ogham Stone 20 Appreciation 33 Reservists go to battle in Capt Derek Furniss Front cover: the Glen of Imaal. and Cdt David Trooper Michael Concannon Jevens RIP. taking part in the CISM Report by Cycling Championships in Capts Eugene Gargan Report by Clonmel. and Ronan Flood Sgt David Nagle An Cosantóir Online UXO – A Lethal Letters to the To a c c es s pa s t is s ues o f Remnant of 22 Editor 34 An Cosantóir, log onto: Readers give their dfmagazine.ie. War opinions. This month’s username is: Bomb disposal in Chad. october and the password is: Report by october (lower case). Comdt Pheilim Gibbons AN COSANTÓIR October 2009 3 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:50 Page 4 news update… news update… news update… Good luck OSCE on Sir! Tour Lt Col Murray Piggott (OC 27 In September, the Inf Bn) is heading to Chad OSCE paid a visit to the early next year and in apprecia- Defence Forces as part tion of his service with the bat- of a familiarisation tour talion, the unit NCOs present- of European Armed ed him with a painting of Forces. The delegation Cuchulainn and Ferdia by local visited a number of mil- artist Kenneth O’Keeffe. CQMS itary units and they are Enda Kerr (NCOs Mess Pres) is seen here at the seen here with Lt Col Murray UNTSI, Mil Col, DFTC. Piggott and Coy Sgt George Photo by: Armn Paul McDonagh. Photo courtesy of: Daly (AC Photo Sec). CQMS Kerr (27 Inf Bn). Walk for Life Pictured here outside the Heineken Ireland centre in Cork is Sgt John Wade (4 Inf Bn) along with colleagues from Collins Bks and the ONE. For the past 14 years they have raised thousands of euros for some very worthy caus- es! This year over €29,500 went to the Guide Dogs Association; Children’s Cancer Treatment in Well Done Tanzania; Gym and Congratulations to (l-r): Ptes Grant Moran, Paul McCann, Hugh Women’s Project in McDermot, Conor Maoilmheadha, Elain Merren, Emer NíFhalluín Tanzania and Chile. and Ciaran Doheny (all 62 Res Inf Bn) who just completed their Photo by: Pte Jerry NCOs course and are pictured in Cathal Brugha on September 19th. O’Sullivan (HQ 1 S Bde). Photo by: CQMS Mick Barrett (62 Res Inf Bn). Comrade Remembered Family and colleagues of the late Cpl Colm Foley gathered in the Ptes Mess, McKee Bks for a presentation of a €1,235 cheque to St Francis Hopsice, Raheny, Dublin. The mess members recently held a fundraising pool competition in honour of Colm’s life and the money raised was added to the monies Pte Steve Carr (ran a half marathon) and the girls in the Canteen (ran a mini marathon) already raised. Mr Gene Murphy (St Francis Hospice) is seen here accepting the cheque from Mrs Mary Foley (Colm’s Mother) and Pte Ronnie Daly. Photo by: Sgt Rena Kennedy (DFHQ). 4 AN COSANTÓIR October 2009 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:47 Page 5 ate… news update… news update… news update… NEWS UPDATE D COS Ops Appointed On October 1st, Mr Willie O’Dea TD announced the promotion of Brig Gen Sean McCann (GOC DFTC) to Major General. Maj Gen McCann has taken over as D COS Ops following the recent retire- ment of Maj Gen Pat O’Sullivan. Photo by: Armn Billy Galligan. Home, at last! Blood Just before midnight on Monday October 19th, Brothers Pimp My Irish aid worker Sharon Commins stepped off the B Coy 3 Inf Bn (The Mowag Government jet at Casement Aerodrome to be Bloods) held a get togeth- Below: On September 3rd, Brig greeted by her family and friends following her er for serving and retired Gen Sean McCann (GOC release after 107 days in captivity. members of the battalion DFTC) officially opened the new Sharon is pictured here with Mr Micheál Martin in September in the 1 Armd Car Sqn Mowag TD (Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Sharon’s DFTC, Curragh Camp. Compound in the DFTC, parents Mark and Agatha Commins. Inset Sharon Pictured at a memorial to Curragh Camp. Pictured (l-r) and John O’Shea (CEO GOAL). Photos by: Sgt those who died overseas are: Sqn Sgt Robert Moore, Capt Carl Cosgrove (AC Photo Sec). (l-r) are: Sgt Ollie Mahon, a member of IUNVA, Cpl John Tynan, Brig Gen Sean Eddie O’Neill and Sgt McCann, Lt Col William Dwyer Mick Carroll (Retd & (OC Cav Sch), Comdt Darragh ONET). Photo by: Armn O’Brien (OC 1 Armd Car Sqn), Billy Galligan. Capt Michael Murphy and SQMS David Humphries. Photo by: Sgt JJ Ryan (HQ DFTC). AN COSANTÓIR October 2009 5 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:48 Page 6 news update… news update… news update… Top left: Pte Fahy leads the HMG team. New Kids on the Boat BASE LIFE Above:In September, Pte Sweeney the Naval strides Service home took to win. seven new Ensigns into its ranks. These newly- commissioned Photographs by AB David Jones Left:officers Cpl are Hutchinson, currently deployed CQMS McGrath in various and shore Pte Coniry,and sea just appointments. Pictured here (l-r) are: Lt Gen gladDermot to have Earley finished. (COS), Mr Willie O’Dea TD (Mins for Def) and Commodore Frank Lynch (FOCNS) with When not at sea, the men and women of the Naval some of the new officers. Service are located at their headquarters in Haulbowline, Cobh, Cork Harbour. Here the service Old Sea Dogs commands, trains and administers its flotilla of In August, retired sailors now part of the eight ships and their crews. AB David Jones is the Cmdr George Crosbie Naval Service photographer and the following Br ONET paid a cour- shots certainly capture some of the recent comings tesy visit to the base and goings in Haulbowline. and they are seen here in front of LÉ Aisling. Bon Voyage The Naval Service recently said a fond farewell to two long serving and dedicated sailors. WO Patrick Donaghue took his last parade on August 20th. Patrick joined in 1966 and served onboard LÉ Maeve, Macha, Cliona, Grainne, Banba, Fola, Ferdia, Aisling and Eithne. He served six times overseas and is Caring and married to Mary and they have Sharing three children. He is pictured This year’s Donnie here (centre) with his brother O’Sullivan Memorial CPO Jerry Donaghue (left) and Perpetual Cup Pitch and CPO M Kelly M (cousin). Putt Competition was Capt Paul Keaney is seen ran in aid of the Mary here with his wife, Mrs Mary Mount Hospice, Cork Keaney on the occasion of his and in September a stand down parade on €1,700 cheque was pre- September 18th. Capt Keaney sented to Mrs was OC NSC and was the senior Anntoinette O’Sullivan maritime engineering officer, (Mary Mount Hospice) by tasked with keeping the flotilla PO Jimmy Gannon and ship shape and sea worthy. CPO Liam O’Keeffe. 6 AN COSANTÓIR October 2009 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:48 Page 7 ate… AN COSANTÓIR October 2009 7 00-An Cos-oct-09 (p1-9) 22/10/2009 13:31 Page 8 news update… news update… news update… Above: The 67 AC Apptce Class Air Corps Graduation with their instructors. Right: Armn Eoin Farrell is seen (seated) with his father, Mr Photographs by William Farrell and Mrs Maura Air Corps Photographic Section.