An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir October 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 10 | VETERAn'S nEWS VETERAn'S nEWS VETERAn'S nEWS REPORT AnD PhOTOS By SgT WAynE FITzgERALD O n the 1st of September, author Bethany Barnett launched her book About Face: Finding Peace Within the Battle in Cathal Brugha Bks, Dublin. The proceeds of the launch were donated to OnE to help fund their homeless initiatives for Defence Forces veterans who have fallen on hard times. The evening began with an introduction to proceedings by one of the organisers, Paul Clarke, chairman of the 2 Inf Bn Association. Paul thanked Bethany and her family and everyone in attendance for supporting the launch and the cause. He also thanked OC Cathal Brugha Bks for giving permission to hold the launch in the Michael Collins Club. Paul and the other veterans behind the event, like Stephen Doyle have helped out with many charitable events in aid of DF vet- erans. Last year they helped raise €10,000 for ONE with the Bob Farrell Memorial Swim and 5Km Walk in the DFTC. Bob was a swimming coach in the DFSPC and his family were in- vited to the launch, which was also attended by former 2 Inf Bn veteran and Olympic gold medalist, Michael Carruth, who was there to lend his support. Bethany explained that About Face means we can literally do a 180° turn in life. She then read a few paragraphs to give her audience a feel of what the book was about. "I am the sister of a soldier," she said, explaining that her inspiration for writ- ing a book about veterans and the battles they carry around with them long after the original battle has ended, was because of a Facebook post made by her brother, a US army veteran. His post, in December 2014, was a call to his mili- tary brothers to 'reach out' and talk if they needed to. This led her to think about what troubles he may be carrying too. In Ireland a few years later she got talking to John Corcoran a DF veteran and former member of the ARW. "What can we do?" John responded to a question from Bethany with: "We can create a space where it is normal to talk about things like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." After listening to John, his brother Ger, and their former colleague, Kevin Burke, Bethany wrote About Face about their journey as they turned their lives around. Another DF veteran, author of The Siege at Jadotville, Declan Power, also lent his support to the launch. "We are our own harshest critics in the Defence Forces and we use a lot of black humour." He remembers being asked when returning to his unit after a tough course: "Did they take the softness out of you?" "We are aware of the realities of battle," he said. "but this book looks at the battle within us. Most soldiers don't talk to psychologists, but they will talk to someone of a similar rank who has walked the same walk. "The DF is ahead, with members of the Personnel Support Services (PSS) being trained in critical incident stress manage- ment and as social care workers...but this book is the first chapter in look- ing at how our soldiers are coping with their experiences." A few veterans spoke on some of the difficulties that affect retired soldiers. Anthony Moore spoke about the effects of PTSD, and RSM Dick Dillion retd, house manager of Brú na bhFiann, spoke briefly about ONE's home- less initiatives. A short clip was then played about Brú na bhFiann before ONE director and former Air Corps member, Derek Ryan, thanked Bethany for writing her book and then spoke about funding ONE's homeless initiative. "This book relates to everyone in this room who served in the DF," Derek said. "Telling these stories of our veterans is a good start." Derek went on to explain that ONE was looking at new fundraising to open veteran support centres around the country. about face: Finding Peace Within the Battle was reviewed last month and is available for €10 from www.bethanybarnett.ie or contact hello@bethanybarnett.ie. Author Bethany Barnett Paul Clarke, John Corcoran, Kevin Burke, Bethany Barnett, Ger Corcoran and Stephen Doyle. Kevin Burke, John Corcoran and Ger Corcoran

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