Jadotville memorial to be unveiled as street marks 72nd anniversary

This weekend the 72nd anniversary of Athlone's Assumption Road will be marked with a series of events, culminating in the unveiling of a special memorial to mark the Siege of Jadotville.

A local organising committee has a wide and varied programme of events planned for the weekend and has issued an open invitation to all residents past and present to attend the celebrations.

On Saturday, there will be hosting military talks and military stalls and displays, at Saint Kieran’s Community Centre beside Tormey Villas, between 11am and 4pm. The first military talk will be on the Siege of Jadotville, presented by retired Commandant Leo Quinlan, son of Commandant Pat Quinlan, Officer Commanding the Irish soldiers, at the Siege of Jadotville. There will also be a talk by Anthony Merrigan on how to research soldiers who were killed in the First and Second World Wars and a talk on the second World War.

On Sunday morning between 10am and 11.30pm, a children’s sports day will take place including fun races, two legged races, egg and spoon races, and sack races for the children, The sports day will take place at the pitch at Saint Kieran’s Community Centre, beside Tormey Villas.

The centrepiece of the weekend, the unveiling of the Siege of Jadotville Memorial Ceremony to commemorate and honour the 155 Officers, Non Commissioned Officers (NCOS) and men of A Company 35th Battalion the Congo, who were serving on a Peace keeping mission, as part of the United Nations Operation in the Congo will take place at 1pm on Sunday at the Park, at Assumption Road, Athlone.

There will be a opening address and distinguished speakers. There will then be a military marchpass down Assumption Road, by Post 9, United Nations Veterans, Athlone, who will be led by Athlone Pipe Band.

At the Memorial site there will be some music, a blessing of the memorial stone, and the laying of a wreath as well as prayers, the playing of the Last Post, and the national anthem and the raising of our national flag.

On Sunday afternoon starting from 2pm, throughout the afternoon there will be a variety of music and entertainment for the adults, on the street. The committee has also arranged a street closure for the day with local access only.

Events planned include magic shows, face painting and musical entertainment.

Assumption Road, was built back in 1950, by McInerneys and the street was named after the Blessed Assumption of Our Lady. When the first residents moved into Assumption Road in 1950 they were predominantly army families, although some worked with CIE and others in Gentex.

Assumption Road has an ongoing tradition of military service, here in Custume Barracks, Athlone and with the army throughout Ireland, as well as many having served overseas.

Out of the 118 houses in Assumption Road, 72 soldiers are known to have been originally taken up by young married soldiers stationed at Custume Barracks.

There were soldiers from 24, out of the 32, counties of Ireland who were resident on our street who settled on Assumption Road, with most of them now deceased.

There were 13, soldiers from Assumption Road, who served with “A” Company the 35th Infantry Battalion, at the Siege of Jadotville, in The Congo in September 1961, the single largest number of soldiers from any street in any village, town, or city in Ireland.

Three soldiers from our street lost their lives while serving with the United Nations overseas. Cpl. John McGrath, Congo 1960. Pte. Niall, Byrne, Lebanon 1981, and Pte. William O’Brien, Lebanon 1986. A fourth, Pte. Peter Ward, originally from Leitrim, who was a brother in law of Pte. William O’Brien and married to his sister, lost his life in the Lebanon, in 1992.

Today about two-thirds of the current residents are either the original residents themselves or family members of the original residents.

In 2010 the Assumption Road Residents Association marked the sixtieth anniversary of the building of the estate in a magnificent show of community pride

The committee of Assumption Road Residents Association, would like to thank all its sponsors, the Athlone/Moate Municipal District of Westmeath County Council and secondary sponsors, Athlone Credit Union, Post 9 United Nation Veterans Athlone. Peter O’Callaghan, O’Callaghan Trade Frames. St Kieran’s Community Centre, management of AppleGreen and to acknowledge the contributions of Martin O’Brien, Tom O’Neill, Athlone, Spectrum Signs, and all who helped with this project.

The committee hopes to display a little bit of the street history on Sunday also by displaying old photographs of memorabilia of Assumption Road and its residents.

The organising committee of Anthony Merrigan, Chairman, Tina McCrossan, Vice Chairperson, Kathleen Webb, Secretary, Martin Reilly, Treasurer, Anthony Reilly, Assistant Treasurer, Committee: Ann Monaghan, John Mc Crossan, Councillor Frankie Keena, Jim Henson.