by Ronan Casey
ONE of the darkest moments in the history of the Irish Defence forces is to be the subject of a new Hollywood film starring ‘50 Shades of Grey’ actor Jamie Dornan.
As exclusively revealed in the Topic last week, a book by respected Irish Army veteran and Security Analyst, Declan Power from Mullingar, ‘The Siege of Jadotville’ will be brought to the silver screen in the new year. The film will portray the heroism of 150 Irish troops (many of whom were from Westmeath) who, on a peacekeeping mission in the Congo in September 1961, came under fierce attack with thousands of fighters baying for their blood.
One of those serving with A Company, 35th Battalion of the Defence Forces was John Gorman from Moate who has campaigned for years for the state to recognise the bravery of the troops in battle and not the cruel treatment they received when they arrived home. John has gone on the record many times, stating that the men received no heroes’ welcome with many mistakenly branded cowards.
This injustice was central to Declan Power’s book and the Mullingar man, now living in Dublin, is delighted that Parallel Films, an Irish production company, have bought the rights to his book.
He told Topic it took more than forty years for the official recognition of their heroism.
Rising Irish actor, Jamie Dornan, is to step into a leading role which gives the film a big international boost before the cameras even roll. Dornan, who came to prominence in BBC TV Series ‘The Fall’ with X-Files actress Gillian Anderson, is now in demand on both sides of the Atlantic.
He will soon star in the silver-screen adaptation of the steamy book ‘50 Shades of Grey’, the trailer for which was one of the most-watched videos in the history of You Tube.
Dornan will play the inspirational Comdt Pat Quinlan, the Kerry man who led A Company.
SACRIFICE
Writer Declan Power says the 150 men who took part in the Battle of Jadotville were “remarkable men”.
As part of the UN intervention, the soldiers, most of whom came from Columb Barracks in Mullingar and Custume Barracks in Athlone, were ordered to protect the local population at Niemba in the Congo. It was Ireland’s first UN peace keeping operation. Pro-western leader Moise Tshombe took control of the Katanga region and killed the Congolese leader, Patrice Lumumba. Tensions were high.
Quinlan and his men were lightly armed due to “transportation problems” and on 13 September 1961, their base was subject to a surprise attack from up to 5,000 fighters – local militia, the Congolese Baluba tribesmen, foreign mercenaries and Belgian colonists.
Hopelessly outnumbered, there then followed five days of continuous battle in which they managed to hold off thousands of blood-thirsty warriors who had the backup of a Fouga jet, mortars, howitzers and an assortment of other heavy weapons, while the Irish only had their personal weapons – guns and bayonets.
The Katangese side had 300 of its fighters killed and 1,000 injured, while the Irish had only seven wounded, showing that they had fought with extraordinary courage and ability.
With no reinforcements or supplies, the soldiers of A Company ran out of bullets and fixed bayonets. When their food and water ran out, Commandant Pat Quinlan agreed to ceasefire terms from the Katangese, a situation that later led to the soldiers being taken prisoner.
The soldiers were later kept as POWs for six weeks, and taunted daily with threats of barbaric deaths.
INJUSTICE
Despite their great bravery, while not getting any backup, the U.N. and the Irish Army did not treat the soldiers with the honour they should have on their release, which caused the soldiers years of heartache.
All that changed in 2005 with Power’s book and, finally, a plaque honouring the soldiers in Athlone.
Further events took place to mark the 50th anniversary in 2011 with John Gorman, chairperson of the United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) Post 9 one of the key men.
“I had to fight the Battle of Jadotville all over again, and it was almost tougher the second time around,” he told Topic recently. “We got no recognition at the time and a lot of men are now in their graves, not knowing what they did wrong. But that is all behind us now.”
As well as the Trojan efforts of Mr Gorman, Mr Power’s book being snapped up for a major movie will bring the soldiers’ story not just to the nation, but now to the world. Another book, ‘No White Feather’ by Seán Ó Foghlú, who fought in the battle of Jadotville, is worth a read too.
Filming for ‘The Siege of Jadotville’ will take place in South Africa and Ireland in the spring of 2015. The project has been developed by Parallel Films in association with the Irish Film Board and will be an official Irish/South African co-production. Mr Power said he hopes that Mullingar’s Columb Barracks could be used as a location.
