An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 5 Manager Capt Declan Barrett info@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5306 Editor Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald magazine@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5307 Connect Sgt Karl Byrne connect@military.ie Photo/Journalist: Cpl Lee Coyle journalist@military.ie Photographer Cpl Neville Coughlan photo@military.ie 045 44 5307 Subscriptions Cpl Kelly Gallagher +353 (0)45 44 5312 subs@military.ie DF/PR Information: Cpl Lynn Ryan admin@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5308 DF Webmaster Sgt Mick Burke +353 (0)45 44 5309 webmaster@military.ie Magazine Archivist Mr Sean Shinnors Designer/Advertising JM Publishing & Media, Arklow, Co. Wicklow,Ireland Tel: +353 15331911 Tel: +353871344135 Web: www.jmpublishing.ie Email: info@jmpublishing.ie Printer Turner's Printing Co., Ltd Earl Street, Longford, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)43 3350500 The fact that an article appears in this magazine does not indicate official approval of the views expressed by the author. © Published by OiC Public Relations Branch for the Defence Forces at DFHQ, Block 5, Ceannt Bks, DFTC, Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)45 445312 Front Cover Cpl Lee Coyle pictured paying respects to the memory of 1916 at Arbour Hill Cemetery. Photo by Sgt Karl Byrne For more Defence Forces photographs, checkout: www.flickr.com/photos/ dfmagazine H ello and welcome to our March 2016 issue that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising with a 48 page collector's edition. An Cosantóir has covered this historical period in Irish history many times over its 75-years in publication, and I'm honoured to be able to edit this issue. We are delighted to have gathered a fine collection of authors and their articles to tell the story of the biggest event in Irish history - all in one issue. Our On Parade pages feature some new and old photos from around the DF. In Focus has a short piece on the 50th anniversary of the Aer Lingus pilots trained in the Air Corps in Gormanston in 1966. In our first article military historian and regular contributor Paul O'Brien looks at the Countdown to Rebellion. Next past editor Sgt Terry McLoughlin retd reminds us of that period in Ireland's Opportunity... US author Joseph E.A. Connell, Jnr, briefs us on gun running in The Loss of the Aud. In Battle Front 1916, Paul O'Brien condenses the battles he has written about in six books into two pages. Author and historian Liz Gillis looks at the Rising from a female perspective in Women in 1916. British barrister John McGuiggan who for many years' has worked in Dublin's Four Courts covers the British Soldiers in 1916. Naval Service Press Officer Lt Cdr Caoimhín Mac Unfraidh looks at The Maritime Perspective in the 'Poets' Rebellion. Reprinted from our April/May 2006 issue for the Easter Risings 90th anniversary is an article by Lt Col Frank Lawless (then Comdt) on his grandfather's involvement in the largest conflict outside of Dublin A Personal Recollection - The Battle of Ashbourne. Next Dermot Forde gives us the first publicised account on his father Seán Forde, Irish Volunteer 1916. In The Fires of Easter 1916, Dublin firefighter and author Las Fallon informs us about Captain Thomas Purcell's 1916 maps and estimates of the damage of the Easter Rebellion. Author and publicist of the Kilmainham Tales series Mícheál Ó Doibhilín reminds us of the harrowing executions of the Rebellions Leadership in the Stonebreakers' Yard in both English and Irish. In Preserving our Past Comdt Padraic Kennedy, OIC of Military Archives discusses our historical collections and of our imminent move to a new facility in Cathal Brugha Bks. Our Sports article On the March, looks at how the Irish Volunteers of 1916 would have drilled and marched to maintain their fitness. We also have our regular Tac Aide, Reviews and for our What I Do feature, I interviewed Lt Hugh Forde grandson of 1916 Irish Volunteer Seán Forde. Check out our competitions and results on pages 9, 42 and 43. Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald - Editor THE SymbolS of an army - an T-Óglác (24 JunE 1922) There is much beauty and significance in the symbols of an army: the salute, the presenting of arms, the Last Post, and the rest, common to all armies, have each a distinctive meaning. a salute means: I recognise your authority, I honour the commission you bear, I realise we are all / bound together in fealty and service to the one Motherland. Arms presented, in which, as it were, the rifles are held not as ready to be fired, but, as ready to be given to someone else, means: My arms belong to you, and though I wield a weapon of offence, I do not wield it for myself, but for you and for my country. The colours - What They Signify. The colours are symbolic of the soul of the nation, if they be the national colours. If they are particular to a Brigade, they stand for the soul and traditions of the Brigade and for that reason must not appear without an escort. The colours fly not only for the living, but for all in Division or Brigade who have died for Ireland; not only as an augury of battles to be won, but as a token of every victory in the past which has brought honour to the flag.

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