Posted online: Feb 9th, 2010

One of Ireland’s most senior army officers has strongly commended the Carndonagh based Reserve Defence Forces, calling them “one of the most active and vibrant battalions in the whole of the country.”

Brigadier General Gerry Hegarty, General Officer Commanding the 4th Western Brigade visited the A Company 58 Reserve Battalion on Monday last, as part of a two-day annual visit to the North West.

Speaking to the Inish Times, Brigadier General Hegarty outlined the purpose of his visit and emphasized the important role the Reserve Defence Forces had in the community.

He said: “The purpose of the visit is to talk to and meet the RDF people that are up here in the A company 58 Reserve Battalion area in Donegal. I get an opportunity to come here once a year and although I meet with all the guys in various training camps throughout the year, I like to come here to thank them for all the effort they make and also thank the permanent cadre staff of the permanent defence forces up here as well for all the work they do.”

He added that the Reserve Defence Forces allow the “defence forces footprint” to remain in North Donegal.

He said: “The Reserve Defence Forces are a strong part of the community. They are very important to us in all areas in Ireland, especially where we don’t have the permanent defence forces post – such as up here because it closed last year in Letterkenny and Lifford. It is important that we maintain the defence forces footprint in Northern Donegal. It’s the same in many other counties – not every county has a permanent defence forces post. Donegal is lucky in that it has one big one down in Finner Camp but it’s a very, very big county.

“Because of that we like to maintain our footprint up here with our Reserve Defence Force and I’m delighted to say the 58 Reserve Battalion here are one of the most active and vibrant battalions in the whole of the country.”

Officer Commanding Fintan Dunne said Brigadier General Hegarty’s visit was “good for morale.”

“Obviously this is an annual visit by Brigadier General Hegarty.  It’s important to us in that he’s coming from the Brigade, bringing the message and showing support to the local RDF.

“It’s important they meet him, for example we have Commandant Eugene McCusker, here whose local company commander, this visit gives him an opportunity for a face for face meeting. 

“Brigadier General Hegarty is normally confined to Athlone so this visit allows us to ask any particular questions we need answers for. As he is speaking on behalf of the General Defence Forces, he can tell us what’s happening in Dublin and if there are any particular issues worth mentioning to us we’re getting the information getting directly from the top. It’s also very, very good for morale.”

Commandant Dunne outlined the main functions of the RDF in the community.

“As the title states, we are reserve so it’s the reserve to the permanent defence forces. Basically, we train our people to get to the same high standards of the Defence Forces and act as support to the main Defence Forces. For example, if they need people to go on one exercises or help the Civil Authority – with situations such as the recent snow – we have our people trained up to that standard.”