This article is from page 13 of the 2013-10-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
THE service given by former Reserve Army members in Ennis will be recognised with a plaque at the town’s new peace memorial.
In a report to councillors earlier this month, town clerk Leonard Cleary said Ennis Town Council received a request from the local representatives of the former 22nd Battalion Reserve Army, Ennis.
The 22nd Infantry Battalion stationed at the Barrack in Ennis, be- side the Garda Station, served in the town from 1949/50 to 2005.
Mr Cleary states, “The Battalion have given a great service to the people of Ennis and indeed many people from Ennis were involved over the decades. Since 2005 a different Reserve Army structure exists in Ennis. As the Barrack building is assuming a new function, the local representatives of the Battalion would like to re-locate their Battalion’s wall plaque from the Barrack building wall to a new location.”
Mr Cleary said the representatives have requested the plaque be located in a quiet public space where they could occasionally lay a wreath.
He said the Battalion had links with the council through their involvement with the St Patrick’s Day ceremony.
Mr Cleary continued, “It is recommended that the request be facilitated by Ennis Town Council. It is proposed that the plaque be suitably incorporated into its own allocated space beside the proposed peace memorial site at Friar’s Walk. This is on the basis that it has already been agreed by Ennis Town Council that there may be other memorials installed at this site in due course. The appropriate next step would be to liaise with the local representatives of the Battalion and with the Irish Army to consider the requests further and any associated costs, which it is expected would be minimal.”
Speaking at the October meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said the Battalion were always held in high regard in Ennis.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the reserve army had given over 70 years of service to the people of Ennis.
Ennis is also to recognise the sacrifices of men and women who fought in conflicts such as the Vietnam War with a memorial in the Monastery Park area of the town.
Ennis Town Council will manage the project, which will be funded by the United States Vietnam Veterans Advocacy Group.
The sculpture will specifically commemorate men and women who served in Allied service in South East Asian wars between 1959 and 1975.