The siege of Jadotville 1961

On Tuesday 20th January 2026 Martin O’Dwyer will talk about the Irish army’s experience at the siege of Jadotville in 1961. The lecture will take place in the Walnut Suite of the Plaza Hotel at 8pm, and is free to members, otherwise 5 euro.

In September 1961, during the United Nations intervention in the Congo c155 lightly armed Irish peacekeeping soldiers of A Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, led by Commandant Pat Quinlan were dispatched to protect Belgians in Jadotville in the province of Katanga in September 1961. Although isolated, outnumbered and outgunned, they defended their position for five days.  Without water and critical supplies they withstood waves of attacks from a much larger force of 3,500 Katangese soldiers, mercenaries, and artillery, enduring heavy bombardment and ground assaults for five days.   It was and remains the largest single military engagement of Irish troops since Independence.

Martin O’Dwyer served as an officer in the Defence Forces for approx twenty years and after a second career in the private sector he has returned to matters military in recent years. He currently provides a range of independent military analyses for a number of Irish language outlets including TG4, Raidió na Gaeltachta, and RTÉ 1.   Raised in a neighbourhood of many military families in Athlone, one of his earliest memories was that of the Jadotville siege when the neighbourhood rallied to support the family of close neighbour and friend, Commandant Pat Quinlan, commanding officer of the Irish troops involved.