Big day at Dublin Castle for twelve new Kildare Defence Forces cadets
Largest cadet class in the history of the State
Twelve cadets from Kildare are among 91 cadets who have successfully completed a 15 month cadetship will be formally commissioned tomorrow at Dublin Castle.
The Kildare group is the second largest county group after Dublin.
They are Sinead Cribbin, Clane, Andrew Halley, Prosperous, Eamonn Kiernan, Naas, Borys Stan, Curragh, Harry Mansfield, Straffan, Killian O’Brien, Newbridge, Harry Swan, Kilcullen, Luke Doran, Newbridge, Colm O’Brien, Kilcullen, Harry O’Neill, Calverstown, Brian McDonald, Suncroft and Peter McNamara, Newbridge.
The course has prepared them to take up appointments as junior leaders throughout the Army, Air Corps and the Armed Forces of Malta.
The Defence Forces said the group is the largest Cadet Class in the history of the state.
The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM will attend the Commissioning Ceremony of 67 new Army Officers, 18 Air Corps Officers and 6 Maltese Officers.
It takes place at 2.00pm, tomorrow, Thursday, February 20 in the Printworks, Dublin Castle.
The Defence Forces said the class is comprised of thirteen officers who previously served in the Defence Forces and 26 university graduates with a range of qualifications including law, international relations, history, engineering, sports management, law, archaeology, geomatics and computer science.
A further five officers were in third level education prior to joining the Defence Forces.
A statement said that In receiving this Presidential Commission, the new officers will take an oath of allegiance in which they will swear to be “faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution”. The Maltese Cadets will receive a certificate of graduation.
The ceremony will include the Cadets receiving their commissioning scrolls, the class performing ceremonial sword-drill and the class celebrating on conclusion of the ceremony.
Apart from Kildare the new officers are from counties Dublin (13), Kilkenny (7), Cork (5), Tipperary (5), Wicklow (4), Offaly (3), Meath (3), Mayo (3), Donegal (3), Galway (3), Kerry (3), Waterford (3), Westmeath (3), Clare (3), Limerick (2), Wexford (2), Down (1), Monaghan (1), Roscommon (1), Cavan (1), Louth (1), Tyrone (1), Derry (1), Sligo (1) and Malta (6).