Siege of Jadotville is focus of lecture

Westport Civic Trust's next lecture takes place in the Plaza Hotel in Westport on Tuesday, January 20th, at 8pm. All welcome - free to members or otherwise €5.

Martin O’Dwyer will talk about the Irish Army’s experience at the siege at Jadotville in 1961.

In September 1961, during the United Nations intervention in the Congo, circa 155 lightly armed Irish peacekeeping soldiers of A Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, led by Commandant Pat Quinlan were dispatched to protect Belgians in Jadotville in the province of Katanga. Although isolated, outnumbered and outgunned, they defended their position for five days. Without water and critical supplies, they withstood waves of attacks from a much larger force of 3,500 Katangese soldiers, mercenaries, and artillery, enduring heavy bombardment and ground assaults for five days. It was and remains the largest single military engagement of Irish troops since independence.

Martin O’Dwyer served as an officer in the Defence Forces for approximately 20 years and after a second career in the private sector he has returned to matters military in recent years. He currently provides a range of independent military analyses for a number of Irish language outlets including TG4, Raidió na Gaeltachta, and RTÉ 1. 

Raised in a neighbourhood of many military families in Athlone, one of his earliest memories was that of the Jadotville siege when the neighbourhood rallied to support the family of close neighbour and friend, Commandant Pat Quinlan, commanding officer of the Irish troops involved.