Veterans memorial service in Ballyglass Cemetery

Post 20 Irish United Nations Veterans Association held their Annual Memorial Day service in Ballyglass cemetery Mullingar on Sunday July 23.

The service is held in memory of those who died while serving with the UN overseas and to remember deceased members of Post 20 and all Defence Forces personnel buried in Ballyglass Cemetery.

The blessing was performed by Fr Declan Kelly, grandson of the late Paddy Donnelly, who fought in Battle Jadotville in Congo in 1961. He was assisted by Rev Canon Alastair Graham. After the blessing the Roll of Honour was read, Post 20 president Joe Quinn laid the wreath on behalf of IUNVA and Post 20 followed by wreaths from the Royal British Legion Midland Branch, ONET Mullingar, Westmeath Civil Defence, Mullingar Tidy Towns and relatives of those buried in the Memorial Peace Garden, followed by the sounding of the Last Post, Reveille and the national anthem.

On behalf of our chairman and members of Post 20 IUNVA we wish to express our appreciation to the clergy who officiated, to those who attended the ceremony and to those who laid wreaths. Our thanks also to piper Joe Gavin, bugler Frank Rooney, Betty Carr for her flower arrangements and to Liam Maher (WCC).