Special Kilkenny event to explore the extraordinary five-day stand of 156 Irish soldiers — and the decades-long campaign to restore their reputation
The extraordinary story of the Siege of Jadotville, and the long campaign to ensure that the men who fought there received the recognition they deserved, will be explored at a special event in Kilkenny later this month. Hosted by Post 8 Irish United Nations Veterans Association, the event will take place at 7pm on Wednesday, October 21st, at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny. The Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Joe Malone, will be the principal host on the night. The evening will feature presentations from Comdt Leo Quinlan Retd, son of the late Comdt Pat Quinlan, Commanding Officer of ‘A’ Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, and Lt. Col Dan Harvey Retd, author of the new book Jadotville – Benchmark for Bravery. Also attending will be Major General Kieran Brennan Retd, a local man and President of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association. The event will also welcome Special Guest Tom McCaughren, former RTÉ Security Correspondent and author of The Peacemakers of Niemba. Event Coordinator Eugene Doyle said the evening will examine not only the extraordinary events of September 1961, but also the very different battle faced by the soldiers when they returned home. “This is both the story of how 156 Irish peacekeeping soldiers held off an attack by a greatly superior enemy over five days in September 1961 in the Congo, and of how, on their return home, they faced another battle to restore their reputation. “For decades, the men of Jadotville were denied the full honour they deserved, their names clouded by institutional silence and the stigma of ‘surrender’. “The story of Jadotville did not end when the fighting stopped. For the veterans and their families, another battle began — the battle to ensure that the full circumstances of what happened were properly understood and that their courage was recognised.”
Questions
A central focus of the evening will be Dan Harvey’s new book, Jadotville – Benchmark for Bravery. The book follows the long and determined campaign by veterans, families and supporters to bring the story into the open and press authorities to recognise acts which they believe met the benchmark for bravery. It sets out to address three fundamental questions: What brought ‘A’ Company to Jadotville in the first place? What exactly happened during the battle and in its immediate aftermath, when the soldiers became prisoners of war? And perhaps most importantly: Why was the Company’s bravery and achievement ignored for so long?
New information
Comdt Leo Quinlan Retd will bring a particularly personal perspective to the evening. His father, the late Comdt Pat Quinlan, was the Commanding Officer of ‘A’ Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, during the Siege of Jadotville.
Leo has continued to campaign for recognition of the men of ‘A’ Company and will present new information and previously unseen photographs from the Siege of Jadotville. His presentation will offer the audience a further insight into the men involved, the circumstances surrounding the siege and the events that followed. The issue of the recommended medals will also feature prominently.
Lt. Col Dan Harvey Retd is the author of a number of books on Irish military history and overseas service, including Peacekeepers: Irish Soldiers in the Lebanon, Peace Enforcers, Soldiers of the Short Grass and Into Action: Irish Peacekeepers Under Fire, 1960–2014. His latest book, Jadotville – Benchmark for Bravery, examines both the battle itself and the long aftermath.
Kieran Brennan
The organisers are also delighted that Major General Kieran Brennan Retd, a local man and President of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association, will attend the event. Doyle said: “It is particularly fitting that Major General Kieran Brennan will be with us. “This is an evening organised by Post 8 IUNVA to remember Irish United Nations service, and having the President of the organisation with us adds greatly to the occasion. “There is a strong connection between Kilkenny and Ireland’s military and United Nations history, and we are delighted that Major General Brennan will be part of the evening.”
Special Guest Tom McCaughren
The organisers are particularly honoured to welcome Tom McCaughren, former RTÉ Security Correspondent and author of The Peacemakers of Niemba. Tom has spent many years researching Ireland’s military involvement in the Congo and brings a unique personal perspective to the evening. Importantly, Tom met Comdt Pat Quinlan during his lifetime, giving him a direct personal connection with one of the central figures in the Jadotville story. Tom was also a close personal friend of the late Corporal Noel Hoyne for more than 63 years. Noel, a native of Clohogue, Clifden, Clara, Co. Kilkenny, passed away on August 28th, 2026. As a young Irish Army radio operator serving with the 33rd Irish UN Battalion, Noel was involved in the events surrounding the Niemba ambush of 1960, in which nine Irish soldiers were killed.
His role in communications before, during and after the ambush was significant, and his story represents another important chapter in Ireland’s early United Nations peacekeeping experience in the Congo. Noel’s wife, Ellen Hoyne, will also attend the event. Tom will also give his perspective on Leo Quinlan’s campaign for the recommended medals and on Dan Harvey’s new book.
“The men of Jadotville were young Irish soldiers serving their country and the United Nations. Whatever one’s view of the subsequent history, their story deserves to be fully examined, remembered and understood.” Following the presentations, Leo Quinlan and Dan Harvey will take part in a Q&A session, giving members of the audience an opportunity to put their questions directly to them.
Tea and coffee will be available on arrival.
