Farewell to the FCÁ
As Maca over at Raiméis notes, October 1st saw the end of the FCÁ (an Fórsa Cosanta Áitiuil) and the Slua Muirí, to be replaced by the new Reserve Defence Forces.
This is an unavoidable development, coming as it does in tandem with fundamental changes in the Defence Forces as a whole (these changes themselves driven by the progressing militarisation of the EU). The Second Line Reserve changed beyond recognition in recent years with the coming of increased professionalism and integration with the PDF. Several units have been amalgamated, and integrated elements have been created inside the establishments of PDF units. Equipment and training are also being brought up to PDF standards (goodbye to the Bren LMG!). Within the decade we will see the first official deployment of Irish military reservists abroad on operational UN service.
However, a lot of Irish people will be nostalgic for a quaint (and archetypically Irish) institution central to our formative years, which has now passed into history. It will be fondly missed.
(The Reserve Defence Forces Implementation Plan is here. Warning - 17MB Acrobat document)
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