An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 29 In 1952, the barracks was named Dún Uí Mhaolíosa after 1916 leader Liam Mellows. In this decade the battalion's football team won county finals and dominated Army Championships and in 1956 An Cath won the All-Army shooting championships. During the sixties, men from Renmore deployed to the Congo and to Cyprus, happily without loss of life. In 1971 An Cath was presented with its unit colours. By this time re- cruitment was effectively confined to Connemara and the Arans, other native speakers joining more local units. All battalions were heavily involved in internal security operations by now and An Cath was more understrength than most. From the start of the deployment to UNIFIL, An Céad Cath was well represented mostly serving with C Company, who were noted as having particularly well-built stone gabions. Its first overseas casualty oc- curred on 27th April 1981, when S/S Caomhán Seoighe was kidnapped near Dyar Ntar and was never returned. More tragedy followed on 21st March 1989 when Cpl Fintan Heneghan was killed along with two com- rades in a mine explosion near Bra'Shit. An Céad Cath continued to soldier on through the eighties although by this time, safety considerations had necessitated undertaking some aspects of training in English. As An Cath prepared to celebrate its 75th anniversary in June 1999 came the tragic news that Pte Billy Kedian had been killed by DFF mor- tar fire in post 6-42 in South Lebanon. An Céad Cath continued to fulfil its commitment to Western Com- mand as for example in July 1999 when C Company was transported by LÉ Eithne from Galway to Lough Swilly as part of Exercise Lough Gartain. They also continued to serve on UN missions and suffered another tragedy in April 2002 when S/S Peadar Ó Flaithearta was tragically killed while on service with UNTAET in East Timor. In October 2009, Exercise Lough Gartain C Company again transport- ed by LÉ Eithne from Galway to Donegal. 1 Cn Cois theoretically benefitted from the 2012 reorganisation, its PDF strength increasing from under 300 to 450, while RDF units in Clifden, Galway and Ennis became C, D and E Companies of the reor- ganised battalion. Although the number of fluent Irish speakers has declined to double figures, the battalion retains its commitment to the Irish language, for example hosting the annual Campa Gaeilge. Few units of the Defence Forces are in a position to contemplate celebrating their centenary and no other unit has remained in its home barracks for so long. "An áit na bhfuil a réim go nuige seo," as they might say themselves. Lebanon-bound 113 Infantry Battalion marched through Galway City Centre on 26th October 2018. A monument unveiled in May, 2015 to SS Caomhán Seoighe who was kidnapped in Lebanon in April 1981. The fantastic museum in Dún Uí Mhaolíosa. Renmore Barracks in 1947. Members of 1 Inf Bn conducting Coy Gp Exercise in the Glen of Imaal, June 2014.

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