An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir October 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 12 | BY COMDT RORY ESLER, CHAIRMAN AN PARA-CHUMANN MÍLEATA T he DF Parachute Team (An Para-Chumann Míleata, or PCM) was founded in 1972, and annual static-line and advanced parachuting courses have been conducted since the foundation of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) in 1980. Following the publication of TI 06/2011 (Parachuting in the Defence Forces), the Parachute Training School (PTS) was set up as an ex-establishment school of the Air Corps College to provide regulatory and technical oversight for all parachuting activities in the DF. Its main focus is on promoting parachuting as an adventure training activity, a competi- tion sport, and a public relations tool. On the sports side, PCM is an affiliate club of the US Parachute Association (USPA) and abides by USPA's 'Gold Standard' rules and regulations. Drawing on PCM's technical expertise, the PTS also assists the ARW with their operational parachute training, as required; for example, by helping to draft SOPs and providing ac- celerated freefall instructors. Working in close co-operation with the ARW the PTS has helped to progress parachuting as an operational capability, for both high- and low-altitude de- ployment of special operations teams. As part of this partnership ARW and PTS instructors and jumpmasters conducted military static line jumpmaster and young entry courses for ARW candidates earlier this summer. As an adventure training activity and a competitive sport, parachuting is open to all members of the DF (PDF and RDF). Both PCM and PTS continue to be organised, trained and administered by a small, core group of dedicated individuals who possess the necessary skills and internationally recognised qualifications to conduct parachuting to the highest standards. Many of these individuals have competed internationally at the highest levels in formation and accuracy skydiving, often as the Irish national team. In addition, the Black Knights display team carries out a number of high profile displays annually as part of the DF's public relations effort. In the last number of years, this has included display jumps at the Bray and Shannon air shows, Farmleigh House, and other high profile venues. PCM and the PTS have now taken up residence in Plunkett Bar- racks, DFTC, in the Sgt Paddy Mulcahy Centre. The building that houses the Centre was built in the final years of the 19th century as the guardroom for Ponsonby Bks, and for many decades after independence it continued as the guardroom of the renamed Plunkett Bks, home of the Cavalry Corps. The three storerooms off the main corridor were the original guard- room cells. The building was taken over by the Artillery Corps on the clo- sure of Magee Bks, Kildare, in 1998 and the Air Defence Regiment kitted it out for use as an indoor RBS 70 training facility. Director of Artillery, Col Jim Prendergast, opened the refurbished building on St Barbara's Day, 4 December, 1999, naming it in memory of Sgt Paddy Mulcahy DSM, who was killed in action in the Congo in 1961 while serving with ONUC, the first Artillery Corps member to lose his life in action with the UN. The latest incarnation of the Centre was opened on 25th June 2018 by GOC DFTC Brig Gen Joe Mulligan and the Mulcahy family. Special guests on the day included Air Corps Chief of Air Staff (Operations), Col Rory O'Connor, and the ARW's chief instructor of static line parachuting (representing OC ARW). Although the PTS have occupied the building for a number of years now, the official opening was regarded as an opportunity to rededicate it once again to the memory of Sgt Mulcahy, an accomplished sportsman who excelled at Command and All-Army level boxing and was also active as a boxing referee. The PTS is proud to honour the name of this hero of Óglaigh na hÉireann. The building, which has been completely renovated, for the most part by PCM members, with excellent support from DFTC engineers and logs staff, now comprises a lecture/briefing room with full audio-visual facilities, a climate-controlled rigging room (where parachutes are stored, inspected, packed and maintained), a rigger's store, an office/archive and a display/PR store The opening was attended by many past and present parachut- ists, including founding members of PCM retired colonels Connie MacNamara and Des Travers; former chief instructors Comdt John Walsh (retd) and Capt Billy Halliden (retd); and AR Lt Richard Hodson (retd), who was the first RDF member to parachute from an Air Corps Capt Keefe Meehan, 2 BTC.

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