An Cosantóir

in focus BY TeRRy MCLaughLIN PHOTOGRAPHS BY aRMN NevILLe CoughLaN & JIM o'CoNNoR t the Commissioning of the 87th Cadet Class, which took place in the Curragh on Thursday March 8th, An Cosantóir met up with a family The generation game A whose service in the Defence Forces goes back to the Emergency, and whose roots go back even further. Among the family members proudly watching 2/Lt Christopher Humphreys receive his commission were two who had trodden the same path themselves: his grandfather, Col James Fagan (retired), and his mother Capt Gabrielle Humphreys (neé Fagan), also retired. Col Fagan, who was born in May 1923, was commis- sioned in 1941 and served until 1983. Mainly serving in Athlone and the Curragh. Col Fagan's career included 12 years with the Military Police Corps. It also included over- seas trips to Lebanon with UNOGIL in 1958 (the first UN deployment for members of the Defence Forces); Congo with ONUC in 1961/2, where as a captain with 36 Inf Bn he was involved in the Battle of the Tunnel; and Cyprus with UNFICYP in 1966. His memories of the Battle of the Tunnel are very vivid and he is adamant that the Defence Forces and the people of Ireland should never forget the brave Irish soldiers who lost their lives in the incident. Col Fagan retired as EO Curragh Command in 1983, Captain Fagan with 36 Inf Bn ONUC Congo 1961/2 | 9 the same year his daughter, Gabrielle, was commis- sioned with the 58th Cadet Class. Gabrielle served for 13 years, during which she served mainly in CTD W in Athlone and Southern Command HQ. While serving, Gabrielle was involved in setting up the PSS (Personnel Support Section). However, the family links with the Defence Forces go back even further. Col Fagan's uncle, Tommy Lennon, joined the National Army in 1922, straight after the War of Independence. Also, 2/Lt Humphreys's mater- nal grandmother was born in the Curragh Camp, the daughter of Comdt Alphonsus O'Neill, who had been a member of Michael Collins's GHQ Int Section during the War of Independence, and who had joined the National Army in 1925. Such is the weight of history that young 2/Lt Hum- phreys carries with him as he embarks on his career as a member of 2 Cav Sqn. It is also fitting that he should begin his service in the Eastern Brigade as it means that between them, grandfather, mother and son, have now served in every command/brigade of the Defence Forces. We wish 2/Lt Humphreys and all his newly commis- sioned classmates the best for their future careers. Capt (Retd) Gabrielle Humphreys (neé Fagan), COS Seán McCann, Col (Retd) James Fagan and 2/Lt Christopher Humphreys Lt Ian Lonergan with his Father Cpl John Lonergan (MP Coy DFTC) and COS Seán McCann Maltese Lt Andre Buhagiar and partner Ms Pamela Borg 2/Lt Keefe Meehan with his Father Garda Sgt Cyril Meehan www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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