An Cosantóir

15 of the Curragh, the iconic twin skyline symbols of the camp, the striking and elegant Clock Tower, the ordered lines of red-brick barrack blocks, soldiers, sheep, horses and the vast expanses of the plains with its unique and distinctive flora and fauna. Personal memories of our time in the Cadet School may evoke specific emotions and highlights (and perhaps some lowlights!). First impressions of interactions with classmates, senior cadets, Zambian cadets and Cadet School staff will vary. Memories may have faded by now of the intensive Cadet School inspections regime, physical activities, legendary Glen of Imaal exercises and those full- battle-dress route marches from the Glen to the Curragh. Marching in public at the Dublin Easter Parade would have been a major ceremonial event in the lives of both junior and senior cadets, as would participation in Cadet Guards of Honour occasions in Dublin's Garden of Remembrance. Respite foreign travel on International Military Pilgrimages to Lourdes would have been savoured by participating cadets. Familiarisation visits to operational, service support and combat service support corps schools and installations in the Curragh Camp would have been enjoyed by all. Annual 'Triangular' sporting events between the Cadet School, Newbridge College and Clongowes Wood College were fiercely contested. Some of us may recall that on the eve of dreaded weekly room and square inspections some relaxed classmates would have routinely attended the Curragh Picture House's evening film with rooms already 'done and dusted'. Other tormented souls could still have room furniture contents out in 'Pasáiste' corridors long after their cinema-attending colleagues were back and tucked up in their beds! Ironically, as life would have it, subsequent inspection outcomes more often than not favoured the cinema goers. The Cadet School's 'Curragh-Bounds' policy would have been strongly reinforced and policed. Therefore, eagerly anticipated (though occasionally cancelled) day or weekend passes were rare but valued cadet class concessions. Perhaps some classmate patrons of the Harp Bar close to O'Connell Street Bridge may still have flash-backs of breathless efforts to catch the last bus back from Dublin in order to beat the mandatory curfew and 23:59 check-in at Cadet Lines. As our senior cadet year progressed many of us would have missed the companionship of our Naval Cadet colleagues Mick Waters (Grange, Co. Sligo) and Liam Carey (Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo) when both 'slipped their moorings' from the Curragh in August and January of 1971 respectively. Major anti-Vietnam war movements and mass protest rallies still raged in the United States as we prepared for our September commissioning ceremony. The introduction of 'internment without trial' in the North of Ireland (NI) on 9 August 1971 evoked widespread riots, gun battles, bombings and chaos in the 'province'. By mid-August 1971 thousands of NI refugees had fled to refugee camps along the Border set up by the Irish Government. At the time, Provisional IRA leader Joe Cahill had exhorted 'The Free State Army' to ignore orders of the Government and support the people of Northern Ireland. The Fianna Fáil Government of the time had clamped down on RT, curbing the national broadcaster's reporting of activities associated with illegal organisations. This period also heralded the introduction of the new currency and decimal system in the Republic of Ireland. It was against this background that families proudly witnessed the 44th Cadet Class and the 5th Air Corps Regular Cadet Class take the Oath of Allegiance at our commissioning ceremony in the Military College on 27 September 1971. Postscript: At the beginning of 2019 I had a chance encounter in the Curragh with an exuberant group of male and female cadets from the 94th Cadet Class. On proudly introducing myself as a member of a previous cadet class which was about to celebrate its 50th anniversary, one of the group, much to the amusement of his colleagues (and to my wounded pride), had rather cheekily sympathised with me saying, "I'm struggling to find some appropriate and reassuring words of comfort for you". On mature reflection, perhaps I should have had the presence of mind and composure at the time to have redressed his remark. I could have cheerfully reassured those members of the 94th Cadet Class that there was indeed great comfort to be found in the happy knowledge that all members of our October 1969 cadet intake are thankfully still alive and well, that we had thoroughly enjoyed our military service experiences during a period in the Defence Forces which could arguably be called 'the best of times', and that class loyalties, friendships and bonds forged over the past 50 years continue undiminished to this day. REELING IN OUR CADETSHIP YEARS 1969-1971 5th Air Corps Regular Cadet Class

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