Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Ireland can be proud of mission to Congo, says Archbishop Martin

THE MISSION to the Congo was “something of which Ireland can be proud,” Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said.

He was speaking at a Mass in the Church of Mary Immaculate, Rathmines, Dublin, on Saturday to mark today’s 50th anniversary of the Niemba ambush, in which nine Irish soldiers died.

“The distinguished history of peacekeeping carried out by our Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána and our foreign service – involving also our volunteers and our missionaries – has brought honour to the name of Ireland.

“We can be proud of our soldiers who have shown courage and humanity in their interaction with the people”, but also “a unique capacity in their specific mission as military peacekeepers. Few countries have attained a similar capacity technically and humanly,” he said.

He singled out for praise the five Defence Forces chaplains with whom he concelebrated the Mass.

“Look after them,” he asked Defence Forces personnel present, “they are great people, all of them”.

Earlier, a special commemorative ceremony was held nearby in the Memorial Garden at Cathal Brugha Barracks. 

In attendance were former soldiers who had served in the Congo, the two survivors of the Niemba ambush, Tom Kenny and Joe Fitzpatrick, and relatives of the men who died.

Minister of State Áine Brady was among those who laid wreaths. Also there were Cmdt Mick Treacy representing the Taoiseach, Minister for the Environment John Gormley, Labour Party TD Ruairí Quinn and Defence Forces chief of staff Lieut Gen Seán McCann. Lord Mayor of Dublin Gerry Breen attended the Mass which followed.

Yesterday, at the UN Memorial Garden in Dublin’s Arbour Hill, all 91 Irishmen who died while on UN service abroad were remembered at the annual wreath-laying ceremony. 

There was an emphasis on the men who died at Niemba, with Pierrot Ngadi, chairman of the Congolese Anti-Poverty Network, laying a wreath on behalf of his country.

Minister of State John Curran said the Niemba massacre represented “the single greatest loss by the Defence Forces since the foundation of the State”.

In attendance were Dublin’s deputy Lord Mayor Ruairí McGinley and Defence Forces chief of staff Seán McCann. 

A wreath was also laid by Jennifer Grene, whose husband Andrew died in Haiti’s earthquake last January. 

A political affairs officer, he was the most recent Irish person to die on UN duty.

SIC:  IT/IE