This article is from page 21 of the 2012-07-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A PROPOSAL to commemorate Irish men who fought in the Vietnam War has provoked disagreement among members of Ennis Town Council.
Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn has urged the council to consider supporting a proposal that would see a memorial installed to mark the “contribution of soldiers of Irish descent who served in the US armed forces during the Vietnam War”.
Cllr Flynn told yesterday’s meeting that a group of Vietnam veterans, who attend the Ennis Trad Festival every year, are willing to fund the memorial.
He said Ennis could tap into the Vietnam veteran tourist market, which he said numbered 1.9 million people.
The meeting heard that 2, 500 Irish people served with the US armed forces in Vietnam, including two men from Lahinch.
Cllr Flynn said that Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the People’s Army of Vietnam, showed strong interest in the 1916 Easter Rising when he worked as a pastry chef in London.
Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) said Viet- nam is a “sensitive issue” and that the war had left a terrible legacy of unexploded ordinance. He told the meeting that he had worked with the United Nations in the country. He said the motion needed more debate and called on the council to write to the American ambassador to urge him to request that America sign up to an anti-landmine treaty. Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said the memorial should include those men, including three from Clare, who died in the Korean War.
Remarking that the issue of Vietnam put the council’s earlier discussion on lead piping “into perspective”, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said he could not support the motion in its current format. He claimed many atrocities had been committed by soldiers who were given “drugs”.
Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said any memorial would have to be sensitive to both sides of the war. “It takes two people to fight wars,” he added.
Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) suggested that the memorial honour Irish men who fought in all wars. Town manager Ger Dollard said any memorial should respect all those who fought in wars.