‘Thanks for your service’ – Mullingar’s Congo veterans honoured

UN peacekeepers from Mullingar who served in the Congo have been honoured for their service, 60 years on from the end of the mission.

Some 13 local survivors were presented with certificates of appreciation from the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) during a ceremony in the Parish Community Centre last Saturday, July 20.

Their missions took place between 1960 and 1964 after Congo’s independence from Belgium sparked political and military upheaval, with multiple factions and interests vying for control.

Two of those honoured, Tom Gunn and Billy Keane, were involved in one of the more famous incidents of the Congo Crisis, the Siege of Jadotville, and were held as hostages for around a month after the five-day conflict with Katangese forces in September 1961.

Speaking at the ceremony, IUNVA national secretary Kieran Brennan said he was “honoured to be in the presence” of all the Mullingar-based veterans of the Congo missions.

“My purpose here today is to reflect on the work you did in the Congo, to the pride and the role you played in bringing peace to that troubled land, a land which incidentally today is still troubled by warfare,” he said.

“You, the members of the Defence Forces who went to the Congo all those years ago, were indeed pathfinders.

“You played a key role in establishing the reputation of the Defence Forces as exemplars in the art of peacekeeping.

“Your footsteps have been followed by thousands of other soldiers proudly carrying out the same tasks that you carried out, to the same standards that you set in the Congo all those years ago.”

IUNVA national president Derek Judge said he was “privileged” to share the room with local veterans.

“Each of you embarked upon a journey that took you far from your country, your home, and your family,” he said.

“You ventured into the Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation grappling with complex challenges, in the spirit of solidarity and international peacekeeping.

“Your presence embodied the core values of the United Nations and its foundational defence aspirations to bring peace, security, and human rights overseas.

“In the face of adversity, you demonstrated remarkable resilience and professionalism, whether in the troubling conflict zones, protecting vulnerable communities, or supporting institutions.”

Tony Corrigan, the chairperson of Post 20, Mullingar’s local IUNVA branch, said the ceremony was a “huge success”.

“It’s great to see the few members that are still alive being honoured while they are still alive; that’s very important,” he said.

“We also intend later in the year to honour with certificates the Congo veterans who have already passed away.

“We reckon there could be anything up to 200 of those locally, and we’re in the process of completing a register of those that served in the Congo – you’re talking about 5,000 or 6,000 soldiers.”

Post 20 secretary Robert Archbold said those who took part in early Congo missions were heroes to Defence Forces members who came afterward.

“The example of our combat veterans inspired us, and for over 66 years since, not a day has passed when an Irish soldier has not been on peaceful duty somewhere in the world,” he said.

“This participation in UN and UN-mandated peacekeeping missions remains a tangible demonstration of the Irish commitment to peace.

“The conduct of continuous anti-secession operations in Katanga, including battalion and brigade attacks, came at a high cost to human life, and the lines separating peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and war-fighting were often blurred.

“Hereby, we are ever aware of our 26 colleagues who have given their lives in the Congo for the service of peace and combat.”