An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 5 Manager Comdt Colin Lawlor 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 Armn Adam Murphy 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 Pte Derek Walsh, 7 Inf Bn, scores a wonder goal against USA during the 2nd CISM World Soccer Cup in Oman (2017). Photo: Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald For more Defence Forces photographs, checkout: www.flickr.com/photos/ dfmagazine Editorial H ello and welcome to our March issue. I would like to thank Cpl Lee Coyle for standing in last month – great job! – and to welcome photographer Armn Adam Murphy to the team and wish Cpl Neville Coughlan a safe overseas mission as he heads to UNDOF in a few weeks. Your chosen photographs are On Parade before In Focus visits Bunratty Castle where the Military History Club re-enacted events from the 1798 Rebellion. Then it's on to the GPO for Lowering the Flag on the Centenary Year. The wonderful volunteers of Clonmel's Soup Kitchen, including members of IUNVA Post 24, are in the spotlight in our Veterans News item before our first full feature, Recruits Hit the Ground Running, looks at the arduous training undertaken by new entrants to the DF. Water Safety - The Pool Lifeguard Course covers an intensive four-week course in DF Physical Education School (DFPES). Col Shay Duffy (retd), a former president of RACO, reviews Michael Martin's book, Breaking Ranks: the shaping of civil-military relations in Ireland, which looks at the formation of PDFORRA. This is followed by a review by Brig Gen Paul Fry, GOC Air Corps, of Guy Warner's Pioneers, Showmen and the RFC – Early Aviation in Ireland 1909-1914. Next, Irish General Takes Command of UNIFIL is a piece by stalwart security journalist Tom Brady from his interview with Maj Gen Michael Beary. This is followed by our Strategic Review article, Somalia in Strife, in which Paul O'Brien looks at the civil war that has been raging in the Horn of Africa for decades. Our In Reserve is a piece on The Medal Man - CQMS Ger O'Connor, author of Medals of the Irish Defence Forces in 2010, who retired from the RDF recently. Our first History feature, A Bloody Night - The Irish at Rorke's Drift, by Lt Col Dan Harvey, is followed by Irishmen in the 17th Century Polish Army by Karol Kościelniak PhD. Our extended Sports feature follows the Defence Forces Soccer team on The Road to Oman: the 2nd CISM World Cup - where they did their country proud. This issue is complemented by an A2 poster on the GPMG SF, designed by Sgt Karl Byrne, and we also have our regular Gear Up, Noticeboard, Reviews, and What I Do features. Finally, check out our competitions and results on pages 24, 35 and 36. Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald - Editor T he Defence Forces, in conjunction with the School of Law and Govern- ment, DCU and the School of History UCC, will host a one-day conference in Cathal Brugha Bks in November 2017 that will explore political, social, economic and cultural developments in contemporary Irish history, in addition to focusing on military matters. Papers that focus on ter- rorism, its history, evolution and develop- ment, and the current terrorist threat, are encouraged. Contributions are welcomed from academia and from within the De- fence Forces and veterans groups. Selected papers will be published in the annual Defence Forces Review, which will also be launched at the conference. Those wishing to con- tribute to the conference and/or the Defence Forces Review must submit their completed paper (c.3,000 words) to the conference organisers by 29th June 2017. Abstracts (250 words) for 20-min- ute papers should be emailed to Rory Finegan at rory.finegan@defenceforces. ie by 31st March 2017. Please indicate whether you also intend to submit a full paper (c.3,000 words) for publication in Defence Forces Review. Organisers: Prof. John Doyle (DCU), Dr David Fitzgerald (UCC) and Comdt Rory Finegan (Mil Col). Submissions Sought

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