Search Results for 'Irish Army'

INSPIRED BY interviews with current and former soldiers from the Irish Defence Forces, the British army, and survivors of the Bosnian war, Soldier Still, the critically acclaimed new production by Junk Ensemble, is coming to Galway next week.

The year 1958 was the first time the Irish Army sent a number of personnel on a peace mission to work abroad. They were a team of observers who went to the Lebanon. The next group to go abroad were members of An Chéad Cath and they were stationed in the Congo from 1960 to 1963. From 1963 to 1974, our soldiers were stationed in Cyprus, and later a number were sent to the Sinai Desert for nine months. After the Dublin/Monaghan bombings, all Irish military personnel were withdrawn and brought home

Week II

The Galway Alliance Against War has expressed its deep concern that an Irish naval vessel has been sent to the world’s biggest arms fair to assist in the sale of military hardware and software.

Property: Monksland & Bogganfin, Athlone

In the early afternoon of Monday September 4 1939, Galway’s harbour master, Captain Tom Tierney, was amazed to be contacted by radio from a Norwegian freighter Knute Nelson. It was steaming south towards Galway with 430 survivors from the passenger liner SS Athenia, which had been torpedoed 250 miles north-west of Inishtrahull Island, off the Donegal coast. Many of the survivors needed medical attention. Was Galway in a position to offer aid and safety?

From the mid 1930s to the mid 1950s Galway medical services were on the verge of collapse. The situation at the Central Hospital was particularly chaotic. By 1933 the hospital had a nominal 317 acute beds but overcrowding soon became a permanent feature of the general and medical wards. In March 1938 the number of patients exceeded the beds by 10, with 251 in general wards, 52 in the fever, and 24 in maternity. It was common practice to accommodate patients on mattresses laid out between the beds.

There are so many discussions we could have in this column this week regarding the theme of heroism and bravery. Napoleon Bonaparte once said - “Valour is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes”.

DEPENDING on what part of Ireland you come from, the year 1916 means very different things. For many it means the Rising, the rebellion led by artists and intellectuals, which paved the way for Independence in 1921.

Despite the crucial role many women played in the 1916 Rising, very few were given the credit they deserved. In fact some women were refused a pension for many years because they were not men.