Episode from the Library Speaker Series

Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, presents a history of Óglaigh na hÉireann to commemorate and reflect on their one hundred years of service to the Irish State since the foundation of the National Army in 1922. He tells the fascinating story of their evolving role - from key safeguard of early Irish democracy following the Irish Civil War, to their renewed purpose as peacekeepers with the United Nations beginning in Lebanon in 1958, through the violent years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the shifting national and international dynamics of the late 20th century. Looking forward, he describes the challenges of a changing and uncertain geopolitical landscape: war in Europe, concerns over energy and food security as well as new threats from disinformation, cyber-crime, state-sponsored terrorism and the subversion of democracy. He concludes by introducing a new documentary on the Defence Forces: In the Service of the State, Óglaigh na hÉireann 1922-2022.