An Cosantóir

| 15 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE Aiken and his 4th Northern Division took command of the barracks from the British however his political views put him at odds with the pro-treaty Irish forces. As a result, on 16 Jul 1922 pro- treaty forces moved against Comdt General Aiken, capturing Dundalk barracks and imprisoning most of the 4th Northern Division. In response to the capture of Dundalk military barracks an anti- treaty force was constituted from the Dundalk South Armagh Brigades and using IED's they breached the walls of the local prison allowing over 200 anti-treaty POW's, along with Comdt General Aiken, to escape and re-organise for a counter-attack. Comdt General Aiken led a successful attack on the pro-treaty held barracks, recapturing it and cementing his legacy as a first- class tactician and field commander. However, on 17 Aug 1922, after the recapturing of Dundalk barracks, pro-treaty forces commanded by General Dan Hogan enveloped Dundalk town and launched raids on the military barracks and three police barracks under anti-treaty control. This led to Comdt General Aiken standing down the 4th Northern Division and calling a total ceasefire. In the following years, the Dundalk barracks was occupied on and off by troops from various units however, in 1973, with violence escalating following The Troubles, the Irish Government recognised the need to establish two infantry battalions in order to secure the northern Irish border. On September 1st 1973 the 27th and 28th Inf Bns were established, with 27th Inf Bn headquarters being based in Dundalk military barracks where it still remains today. In 1986, a special ceremony was held in the barracks where An Taoiseach, Dr Garrett Fitzgerald TD, officiated the dedication of the barracks new name to Comdt General Frank Aiken in memory of the distinguished military leader and statesman's achievements. As a result, for the first time in its long history, the Dundalk military barracks would have its own distinct identity, Aiken Barracks, which remains today. THE 27TH INFANTRY BATTALION UNIT FLASH The 27th Inf Bn's distinctive saffron and purple flash was designed by the units first OIC, Lt Col Louis Hogan, and his 2IC. They took inspiration from the Irish mythological warrior Cú Chulainn, who shares a close relationship with the town of Dundalk, their motto being "Mé do rug Cú Chulainn cróga" meaning "I gave birth to brave Cú Chulainn". Cú Chulainn was not only seen as relevant due to the unit's location and area of operation, but due to his representation of loyalty and a strong sense of duty, shared by members of the unit. The saffron sword in the middle of the flash, crossed by two saffron spears, represents the weapons presented to Cú Chulainn by the Ulster King Conchobar for singlehandedly defending Ulster against the armies of Connacht in the famous Táin Bó Cúailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley). The flashes shape is the design of the angular sloped armour of the Panhard M3 armoured personnel carrier used by the battalion in the 70's with the rise of paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland and overseas as part of UNIFIL. The saffron colour was chosen to represent the colour of the cloak worn by the Irish mythical warriors, the Fianna, who stood as protectors of the Gaelic Order and upheld the values and ethics of the warrior-code. The purple colour was chosen due to it being the traditional colour of the infantry corps, with the colour having a long-standing association in Europe with royalty and reverence. Every part of the flashes carefully chosen design has meaning and is representative of Irish history and culture, and the unit's strong relationship with Dundalk and its communities. 27TH INFANTRY BATTALION OPERATIONS Throughout the unit's history, the 27th Inf Bn has led numerous ATCP and ATCA operations. During the troubles, the unit executed numerous operations in aid of An Garda Síochána, ranging from the deployment of checkpoints on border crossings to aiding in search and disposal missions. In more recent years, other ATCP taskings included cash escorts, explosive and ammunition escorts, the guarding of high-security prisoners in Portlaoise Prison, and providing internal security for major events in Ireland such as the visits of Pope John Paul II (1979), Queen Elizabeth II (2011) and President Barack Obama (2011). In 2015, the Bn aided the Gardaí in searching for the Dundalk local Ciara Breen who had gone missing. Over the years, the unit has also led various ATCA operations, such as acting as an emergency firefighting service during the strikes of 1978 and 1987; in 2001, during the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak when the unit was deployed with Gardaí to checkpoints along the border in order to stop the illegal importing of animals and animal products from Northern Ireland and in late 2010, following the heaviest snowfall in the country's history. In 2018, during snowstorm Emma, the 27th Inf Bn aided emergency services by facilitating transport for patients and medical staff to hospitals, and clearing snow blocked roads to facilitate emergency service vehicles. In 2020, following the outbreak of Covid-19, 27th Inf Bn members administered the Covid-19 Vaccine, bolstered numerous emergency services, provided security in Dublin airport, and aided the HSE. The units constant willingness to provide aid to the people of Ireland under any circumstances has been demonstrated on numerous occasions. 27 Inf Bn RDF marching as part of the parade Sgt Major Alan O'Reilly leading from the front The DF band leading the parade A Coy 27 Inf Bn

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