An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 7 RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING PROGRAMME The students of the Recognition of Prior Learning Programme, facilitated by Cork Education and Training Board (ETB), were presented with their certificates on 14th November 2018 in the NCOs Mess, Collins Bks. In attendance at the presentation were GOC 1 Bde, Brig Gen Patrick Flynn, Mr Ted Owens, Chief Exec Cork ETB and Dr Barry O'Connor, President of CIT. Certificate recipients were: Tpr Paul O'Keeffe, Sgt AJ Walsh, Sgt C Hughes, Sgt T Horgan, CQMS L Finnegan, Cpl J Cashman and Pte M Burke. Gnr D Radford was also a recipient. Photo: Sgt Mick Burke ONE BRANCH OF THE YEAR TROPHY Pictured is the ONE's Michael Mc Neela Branch from Dundalk who was awarded the organisations 'Branch of the Year 2018' trophy at this year's ONE Conference for all their hard work throughout the year. A big thank you to all branch members. Photo: Jim Mc Eneaney GOC 1 BDE VISITS DÚN UÍ MHAOILÍOSA On 8th November 2018, GOC 1 Bde Brig Gen Patrick Flynn visited Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa, where he met with the O'Halloran family who are all serving in An Chéad Cath. S/S Tony O'Halloran has over 31 years' service in the Defence Forces, while his two sons have enlisted within the last two and half years. Pictured l/r: OC 1 Cn Cois Lt Chor Frank Flannery, S/S Stephen O'Halloran, S/S Tony O'Halloran, S/S Shane O'Halloran and GOC 1 Bde Brig Gen Patrick Flynn. Photo: Sgt Eric O'Brien, 1 Cn Cois COMDT BARRY MOLLOY (AR), 6 INF BN RETIRES OC E Coy 6 Inf Bn Comdt Barry Molloy (AR) pictured with reserve members on their Potential NCO Course, which he addressed in Ballymullen Bks, Tralee on his penultimate day serving in the Reserve Defence Forces. OC 6 Inf Bn, Lt Col Johnny Whittaker presented Comdt Molloy with a bronze statuette in appreciation of his 40 years in the DF (both FCÁ and RDF). We wish him well in his retirement. Photo: James Gannon UNARMED COMBAT INSTRUCTOR COURSE - LEBANON 112 Bn recently completed an Unarmed Combat Instructor Course in UNP 2-45. Pictured below alongside Lt Col J Kilmartin, OC 112 Inf Bn and Comdt J Morrin, Recce Coy Comdr are the instructors and students who completed the 3-week course. A total of 25 Irish personnel including 22 males, 3 females and 1 Estonian soldier passed the course. This is the first time an Unarmed Combat Instructor Course has been conducted in UNIFIL. This was made possible due to the presence of DFPES Instructor Sgt Sheahan and his staff. Photo: Capt Paul Griffin, 112 Inf Bn MURAL IN LEBANON Pte Joseph McKenna (B Coy, 27 Inf Bn) on his first overseas deployment with 112 Inf Bn (Irish/ Finn Batt) was asked by Sgt John Rooney (27 Inf Bn) to design an Irish Cultural Mural to add to UNP-652 as a little reminder of home. Pte McKenna incorporated many aspects of Irish culture and history along with some legends such as Queen Maeve and CuChulainn. Also included are Eamonn De Valera, Michael Collins and the seven signatories of the Proclamation to the foreground of the GPO. There is a high cross and round tower from Glendalough with Newgrange and a symbolism of the flow of the River Boyne. This sits above an image of Irish warriors fighting off Viking invaders with some other images of a megalithic tomb and a crannog. What an amazing piece of art and hopefully it will be preserved for some time and that more are done in the future. Photo: Pte Joseph McKenna

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