An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir June 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 12 | DEFENCE FORCES PEACEKEEPING By lT COl TIMOThy O'BRIEN, SCh COMDT UNTSI "Given the importance that Ireland places on collective security and multilateralism, the Gov- ernment are fully committed to contributing to peace support and crisis management operations. This is a practical demonstration of Ireland's sup- port to the UN." - White Paper on Defence, 2015 The genesis of 60 years of Defence Forces unbroken service with the UN on peace-support, or crisis-management, opera- tions, was not the result of a coherent Cold War defence or foreign policy, but, instead, the outcome of an unexpected and urgent request received on 23rd June 1958 from the UN Secretary General to Ireland's Permanent Mission to the UN seeking a group of military officers to deploy immediately as unarmed observers on a newly established mission to Leba- non. The emphasis was on 'immediately'. The United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL) was the UN's response to a deteriorating security situation resulting from the country's dispute with the United Arab Republic (Egypt and Syria from 1958 to 1961), which had led to inter-communal violence between Lebanon's confessional groups. Within 24 hours Ireland, which had only joined the UN three years earlier, responded positively to the request, as the deployment of the Defence Forces on a UN mission was seen by the Dept of Foreign Affairs as a practical demon- stration of Ireland's positive membership of the organisation. The decision made, it was a matter of finding the officers. A group of 12 were directed by the adjutant general, without explanation, to report to DFHQ on 25th June, where they were told of the UN's request and asked to volunteer. All did and five were selected to deploy within 48 hours. This group, led by Lt Col Justin McCarthy, departed Dublin Airport on 28th June 1958, to be followed in the coming weeks by 45 more of- ficers, all of whom were selected and volunteered in a similar manner. The Defence Forces contingent, UNOGIL's fourth largest, was tasked with monitoring border crossings to Syria, as well as patrolling in Baalbek, Tyre and Sidon. UNOGIL would prove a success, as its presence, combined with the deployment of thousands of US soldiers and marines, created the conditions for a political solution that al- lowed the mission to be wound up in Decem- ber 1958. On 19th Decem- ber, as most of the Irish The Origins and Evolution of 38 Inf Bn Ford Mark VI Armoured Cars with infantry support outside Elizabethville during Operation Grandslam on 3rd January 1963. This was the final ONUC offensive operation against the Katangan Gendarmerie and it ended the secession of Katanga.

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