18/12/2023
Spotlight Time: Kevin has been busy working on his recent production with Simon Power recorded here at Fresh Fusion Studios!
Conor OâLearyâs powerful lyrics tell the real life, heroic, shocking and ultimately shameful treatment of âA companyâ of 156 Irish UN Irish peace keepers who arrived in Katanga Congo, unaware that a major UN offensive against the Katangans had left them an easy target for revenge in the remote village of Jadotville
âThe Siege of Jadotvilleâ is the âlittle-known but astonishing story of heroism and against-all-odds soldiering â (Time)
On Sept 13 1961 more than 3000 Katangan and mercenary troops with the support of a Fouga military aircraft fitted with under wing bombs and 7.5m machine guns, attacked A Companyâs position. A number of days later, the besieged Irish radioed to their headquarters: âWe will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskeyâ. After 5 days of intensive fighting and with no food or ammunition, Quinlan had no option but to agree to a ceasefire which led to them being taken prisoner.
Battle casualties were estimated at 300.
All 156 of Quinlans peacekeepers survived.
Col Edwards (rtd) Combat Studies, US Army Command called it âone of the greatest examples of defensive tacticsâ He went on âMany of those individuals deserved awards for performance of duty above and beyond the call, for tactical and technical expertise. These are the people and the actions (at Jadotville) âŠ.are studied at West Pointâ
The Irish government did not agree and for more than 40 years A Company were shamed and ignored. A groundswell of public feeling of which OâLeary was a part, tried to turn the tide. A review in 2004 cleared Quinlan and âAâ Company of allegations of soldierly misconduct but it wasnât until June 2017 that medals were finally issued to A Company or their kin.
Pat Quinlan died 27 August 1997, loved by his men, revered by military strategists and ignored by the UN and Irish government.
This is the story of A Company.