OPINION (AN COLÚN): A long and proud history of Midlands soldiers serving abroad

SOLDIERS from the Midland counties of Westmeath, Offaly, Laois, Longford have a long and proud history of service with the United Nations, particularly during the turbulent Congo Crisis in the 1960s and in the Lebanon (UNIFIL) missions.
Until the excellent movie “The Siege of Jadotville” came out in 2016 I knew nothing about this extraordinary, backs against the wall battle where, miraculously, not one Irish soldier was lost. I am sure many others in Ireland were like me and had no knowledge of the battle. The film did a great job of increasing the public's awareness of this important event, an event which had unjustly, scandalously indeed, for years received nowhere near the recognition it deserved. Jadotville must qualify as the most renowned act of courage in Irish military history; I can't think of any other that would surpass it. The battle took place in the Congo during September 1961 and saw 155 Irish UN peacekeepers (A Company, 35th Battalion) hold out for five days against a force of 3,000-5,000 Katangese troops and mercenaries.
Many of the soldiers in A Company were from the Midlands. In 2022, a monument (long overdue) was unveiled in Athlone to honour these soldiers. Athlone’s Custume Barracks has a 50-year association with the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.
Despite being surrounded and outgunned, A Company maintained a fierce defence, inflicting roughly 1,300 casualties on the enemy with zero deaths among their own, before eventually being forced to surrender when they ran out of water and ammunition.
A Company's leader, Commandant Pat Quinlan, showed himself to be a very skilful tactician and was later (in 2021!) recommended for a Medal for Gallantry. In 2017, the government awarded a Presidential Unit Citation to "A" Company, the first in Irish history.
Sergeant Michael Tighe was a Longford man, and was referred to as a "tenacious presence" during the battle, which earned him the moniker The Tiger of Jadotville. Sergeant Tighe and his fellow soldiers endured relentless mortar fire and aircraft attacks for five days, displaying the "untold heroism" that was finally recognized decades later.
During the Siege Noel Stanley from Clara, Offaly, operated a Bren gun. He reported using about 100 magazines.
Apart from Jadotville, other Midland soldiers that served in the Congo (during ONUC - Opération des Nations Unies au Congo,) in the 34th and 35th Battalions between 1960 to 1964, included Seamus Ua Trodd, Thomas Gunn, and Noel O’Neill who years later recalled long-range patrols and dangerous missions.
The tragedy of the ambush of the 33rd Battalion at Niemba in 1960, where nine Irish soldiers lost their lives, is a cornerstone of UN service history. While there were no midlands soldiers involved in Niemba, the tragedy was often remembered (with a shudder) by midlands veterans who served in subsequent, equally dangerous, Congo rotations. One of them was Private Patrick Cullen from Thurles. He was an 18-year-old soldier at the time and part of the 32nd Infantry Battalion. The nine Irish soldiers who lost their lives in Niemba are remembered in the St. Mary's Garden of Remembrance in Thurles.
Among those from the Midlands who have served in Lebanon, there is Sergeant Noel O’Callaghan, a Westmeath-based soldier, who served four times in the country, providing crucial, experienced leadership during tense standoffs with local militias. Irish peacekeepers in South Lebanon have often shown defensive bravery and have routinely faced armed attacks while defending UN positions, operating in "harrowing conditions" to bring stability.
In September 2020 Offaly County Council supported a motion from the late Cllr Ken Smollen which called on the Government to award medals to the soldiers who fought in the Jadotville siege.
His motion was seconded by Cllr Seán O'Brien, who said quite a few local people were involved in the battle, including Noel Stanley, a Clara man who lived in Tullamore, Joe Bracken, also from Clara, and Jimmy Feery, a native of O'Molloy Street, Tullamore. Cllr O'Brien said Mr Feery had been awarded a distinguished service medal for other service in the Congo. Cllr O'Brien said it was important for others who served with the Irish army abroad, that the bravery of their Jadotville colleagues be recognised. The meeting was told that Commandant Pat Quinlan recommended that 32 of the Irish soldiers receive Military Medals for Gallantry and Distinguished Service Medals but they were never awarded.
Cllr Smollen said the Irish UN troops in September 1961 were sent to the mining town to assist with the protection of citizens, during which “they were attacked by a combined force of Katangese Gendarmerie, local Luba tribesmen, Belgian, French and Rhodesian mercenaries along with Belgian settlers, who were armed with a mix of heavy and light armament.” The thousands of attackers were supported by a fighter jet while the Irish had light personal weapons, some Vickers machine guns and 60mm mortars. Cllr Smollen said only eight of the 32 men recommended for medals were still alive (September 2020).
The bravery of the Irish soldiers during Jadotville was subsequently swept under the carpet because the surrender of "A" Company was viewed as a military embarrassment that could damage the UN and Irish Army reputation. The surrender, forced by lack of ammunition and support, was unjustly framed as cowardice, causing the soldiers to be treated with disdain. As a result their actions were omitted from official military history for decades.
Offaly soldiers continue to serve with distinction in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). In December 2025, a fresh contingent of 22 Defence Forces personnel from Offaly deployed to Lebanon, continuing a long tradition of service in the region.

READ NEXT: Call out for Longford families to contribute to Jadotville: The Untold Story