Higgins leads remembrance event for servicemen and women who died in past wars or peacekeeping operations

President Michael D Higgins led a ceremony of remembrance on Sunday for the 88 servicemen and servicewomen who died in past wars or peacekeeping operations with the United Nations.

The annual ceremony, held this year at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin, culminated in a wreath-laying by the President on behalf of the people of Ireland. It was described as “hugely important”, “emotional” and meaning “a lot” by families and retired servicemen.

It was one of seven such events on Sunday – the others at Fitzgerald’s Park in Cork City, the University of Galway, Kilkenny Castle, the grounds of Limerick City and County Council, the town hall in Sligo, and, at the John Condon Memorial in Waterford City

Dublin’s ceremony was without speeches – its progress punctuated instead with prayer, reflection and musical pieces from the brass and drums of the Band 2 brigade, soloist Kelli-Ann Masterson and lone piper Sgt Joe Meade.

Upon opening, with the formal arrival into the quadrangle of members of the Council of State, followed the Cabinet, Taoiseach Simon Hartis and finally the President, leaders of the main religions in Ireland – Judaism, Islam, Presbyterianism, Georgian Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Church of Ireland, Methodism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Humanism – provided reflections.

“We are reminded today of how easy it is to speak of peace and how difficult it is to pursue it,” said Rev Andrew Dougherty of the Methodist Church in Ireland. “How straightforward it sounds to talk of breaking down barriers, yet how demanding it is to live as peacemakers.”

Rev Jay Hodo Roche of the Irish Buddhist community urged those listening to “strive at first to meditate upon the sameness of yourself and others. In joy and sorrow, all are equal.”

A minute’s silence following Mr Higgins laying a wreath, was terminated by the firing of a cannon. The Last Post was sounded by trumpeter and drummers while a 30-second drumroll accompanied the hoisting of the national flag to full-mast.

The event ended with the national anthem, sung by Ms Masterson accompanied by the Band 2 Brigade, and a fly-past by the Irish air-corps.

Retired general Kieran Brennan, honorary president of Irish United Nations Veterans’ Association, described the event as “hugely important”. He retired in 2009 after a 44-year career that brought him to Lebanon, Kosovo and Chad.

“It is very poignant, because as well as remembering the 88 men and women who died, I also remember two young men who never came home. I remember young trooper Patrick Mullins from Limerick who remains missing in action in the Congo since 1961, and private Kevin Joyce a young boy from Inis Oírr in the Aran Islands who is missing in action in Lebanon since 1981. I think of them here. It is an emotional day.”

Cousins Grainne Brady and Lisa Mack were remembering their grandfather and great-grandfather Tom Brady and Joe Brady, son and father who served in the British army in the first World War. “This is the first time we have been to a ceremony like this. So it does mean a lot,” said Grainne

“I think in Ireland the tendency has been to commemorate those who died in world War one, but a lot of the men came back and a lot went through trauma when they did. There was no practical support for them. There really was no support for them and we know they did get scorned a bit.”

Carrying framed photographs of their relatives, they explain Tom Brady lied about his age to join the war-effort. He was 15 when he went to Europe as a soldier. He died in 1989 aged 92. He was “a wonderful man” the women said. “We are really, really proud of him.”

Both men survived the war and settled in Dún Laoghaire. Joe Brady died in the 1940s.