09.06.2014
70th Anniversary of D–Day Landings Marked at Monkstown Service
Former servicemen and their families were to the fore at an ecumenical service to mark the 70th anniversary of the D–Day landings in Normandy which took place in Monkstown Church, on Saturday June 7.
The service was led by Canon Patrick Lawrence along with Archbishop Michael Jackson with the Revd Ása Björk Ólafsdóttir of Christ Church Dun Laoghaire, the Very Revd Fr Michael Coady PP of St Patrick’ Church, Monkstown also participating. Also in attendance were representatives from the diplomatic corps, the Defence Forces and the State.
The address was given by journalist Kevin Myers who highlighted the contrast between the Europe of today and that of 1944 when countries that are now democracies were in the grips of totalitarian regimes. He said that D–Day was key to freeing these countries of their tyrannical regimes.
Mr Myers pointed to Ireland’s contribution saying that in June 1944, 301 Irishmen who were members of British and Canadian forces died. From 1943 until the end of the war more than 800 soldiers from Ireland lost their lives in in freeing Europe. He added that Irish women accounted for 16 percent of all military British nursing deaths.
“It comes down to this, when faced by murderous tyranny, democracy can only survive when strong men are prepared to die in its defence,” he stated.
Photo caption: Those who participated in the ecumenical service to mark the 70th anniversary of the D–Day landings outside Monkstown Church. (Photo: Patrick Hugh Lynch)