Islandbridge,Dublin,which is Irelands National War Memorial was resplendent today, the 18th of May 2011, for the historic wreath laying ceremony by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England and our President Mary McAleese.

As our Chairman Oliver Fallon stated at our first Association visit to The Menin Gate in Ieper(Ypres) during the Last Post ceremony way back in 2004, "We have waited a long time, and come a long way,we are here to remember the men of The Connaught Rangers, all Irishmen and Irish women who died or returned home from the Great war".

Today,at Islandbridge,which i had the privilege to attend, and represent the Connaught Rangers Association,along with Joe Loughnane our Secretary was a day i believe, a nation came of age and through off the final layer of suspicion which surrounded the Irish people who served in the British army at that time.

I would like to thank all the people in attendance that i met and conversed with, and who asked after our Association and wished us every goodwill for the future.

WIlliam Beirne

Treasurer,

The Connaught Rangers Association.