The Irish in Vietnam

The Irish in America have a long and storied history said to have begun with the explorations of Saint Brendan who arrived in the 6th century. Irish cave drawings have been found as far south as West Virginia dated to that time.

But that is not what I want to focus on today.

It is little known, even in Ireland, that about 2500 Irish citizens came to America and Australia to join the military and fight in Vietnam.

29 were killed. Including one of the eight military nurses lost in Nam. Her name was Pam Donovan and she, with the other seven, is honored on The Wall in D.C. She had been in county for three months.

There are only a couple of memorials in Ireland to these comrades who fought and died along side us and if you search through this site you will come across a couple.

A few years ago I was made aware of a memorial honoring them all in Ennis, Ireland. So, I went to see it only to find out that it had not actually been built yet and could find no one who knew anything about it.

A year or two after that, it was built but I have not yet been able to get back to see it. I will and it will be honored here, too.

The efforts to build a memorial in Ireland to The 29 as they are called was fraught with difficulties and at one time it was thought to be a failed effort. I am assured now that it did finally happen.

I've written before here about the efforts made to identify and honor these men and women, including a visit by the VVMF's The Wall That Heals. At the time of that visit, 1989, 16 soldiers had been identified.

"The Irish-born citizens who died in Vietnam were Timothy Daly, Limerick; Sean Timothy Doran, Dublin; Lt John Cecil Driver, Dublin; Bernard Anthony Freyne, Roscommon; Patrick Gallagher, Mayo; Edward Michael Howell, Dublin; Capt Edmond John Landers, Tipperary; Paul Ivan Maher, Dublin; Peter Mary Nee, Galway; Patrick Christopher Nevin, Mayo; Maurice Joseph O'Callaghan, Dublin; Lt Anthony Paul O'Reilly, Galway; Edward Anthony Scully, Cork; Michael Francis Smith, Cavan."

Since then the number has grown. The quote above is from an Irish newspaper written at the time of the visit, you'll note that Pam Donovan's name is not listed.

It has been estimated that half the names on The Wall are of Irish descent.

So, on this Saint Patrick's Day take a moment to remember the Irish who served and died along side us and raise a glass to them.

Slainte' to all of you and to all of them.

Next time, on the 22nd, we will return to South Dakota, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see other memorials, from any state, please click the state name on the left side of this page.