An Cosantóir October 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie
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By SGT WAyNE FITzGERALD PhoToS By CPL NEVILLE COUGhLAN
O
n 2nd September 2014 the first Defence Forces Veterans' Day Parade was held on McDermott Square, DFTC, Cur-
ragh Camp. Many veterans from around the country joined under their respective flags. In attendance were the
Irish united Nations Veterans Association (IuNVA), the organisation of Ex-Servicemen and Women (oNE), along
with the Association of Retired Commissioned officers (ARCo). The Minister for Defence, Mr Simon Coveney TD, offi-
cially attended and was accompanied by the Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Conor o'Boyle and Brig Gen Seamus Ó'Giolláin, GoC
DFTC.
The Minister in welcoming past servicemen and women confirmed the Defence Forces were committed to our veterans,
"There are many honours and responsibilities associated with service in the Defence Forces. Today I am happy to acknowl-
edge the important service that former servicemen and women have contributed to Irish society in domestic operations and
in hostile regions around the world. Today we are recognising the service of all former members of the Defence Forces across
all three services, the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps, at home and abroad".
The Minster complimented the Defence Forces on our 54-years of international peacekeeping, "The 27th July 1960 was
a watershed moment when Ireland sent its first peacekeepers with the 32nd Inf Bn to the Congo, the first complete Irish
unit sent overseas as part of a UN mandate. For a further fifty four years the Irish Defence Forces contributed to the cause
of peace in places like Lebanon, Chad, Liberia, East Timor and Syria (to name but a few) and continue to do so today".
The Minister reviewed a parade of the representative associations, and also serving members from the Army, Naval
Service and the Air Corps. Following a short multi denominational religious service by Rev Fr John Marsden and Rev Fr PJ
