Perhaps in the words of that greatest of Englishmen, Tom Paine, I was but a “Summer Soldier and a Sunshine Patriot” when I volunteered to serve the National Colours in the part-time, territorial Forsa Cosanta Aitiil. Most citizens or subjects, East or West of THE IRON CURTAIN had no choice, or rather the choice of serving as conscripts or serving jail sentences, as full-time warriors or Cold Warriors. Probably it was an effort to be part of the international fashion, when even Elvis Presley was serving as a GI, that so many of my generation of Irish Citizens joined the FCA.
The uniform was of rough frieze or “Bull’s Wool” but it was green, not khaki, and their Brass Buttons were embossed with a Harp and the letters I.V. for Irish Volunteers and the cap badge featuring a Sunburst – an ancient Irish symbol. They were identical to those of the Irish Volunteers, who together with the Irish Citizen Army, fused together as the Army Of The Irish Republic at Easter 1916,, In the FCA we were pledged to Service, not Servility.
I do not know whether all enlisted in our Regular Army shared our attitude.
I recall once we were visited in our Summer Camp by a Minister for Defence and drawn up on the Barrack Square to be addressed by him. He said nothing either to inspire us or to dispirit us.
When he had finished the most senior officer there, a salaried Regular, clapped his hands, expecting the massed ranks to follow suit.
Not a single handclap escaped our ranks. It was not disrespect. It was simply not our style.
I think about this because a later Minister of Defence, probably after a good lunch, addressing assembled (regular) soldiers, described the then President, Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces as “a thundering ballocks” for referring a Bill suspending some constitutional rights to either the Council of State or the Supreme Court, I forget which. The President was a distinguished ex-Chief Justice of Ireland, and former Judge of the European Court, a scholar and gentleman of the first order.
I never was more than an FCA corporal and I may be mistaken. But I think that an Orderly Officer should have put the Disorderly Minister under arrest and lodged him there until he had learned manners. Note I don’t say “regained,”
The news of the incident leaked to the public through a local reporter. It is my bet that the Senior Regular Officer, thinking of advancing his career, applauded the Ministerial lout, joined by other professional mercenary heroes.
Following support for the Minister’s outburst, and the support it got from the Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and his Cabinet, the President of Ireland Cearbhall O Dalaigh resigned his post to preserve its dignity from a SHOWER OF SH*TS.
Comments are closed.