Item IE LMOD 2343 - Fianna Eireann War of Independence Service Certificate

Paper, ink. 50cm x 39.5cm

16/06/2024

A rare Fianna Eireann Certificate of Service presented to Daniel Flynn. Certificate reads in English: 'Testimony of service rendered by Daniel Flynn in the ranks of Fianna Eireann during the War of Independence. Signed by Eamon Martin, chief of staff. The Fianna Certificates of Service were first introduced in 1945, with the first batch (of approx. 300 certificates) being presented to former members at an event at the Oak Room, Mansion House in Dublin on Sunday 30th September 1945. A number of certificates were also presented to relatives of deceased members. A parade through Dublin to the Mansion House preceded the event. Announcing the intention to present certificates to former members, Eamon Martin declared that “the project conceived many years ago has come to fruition and [is] now made possible by that unity of purpose which has become the dominant feature of the efforts of the old comrades through the National Association of Old Fianna”.

A re-union dinner was held the night before (Saturday 29th September 1945) at Clery’s Restaurant, Dublin. Approximately 500 Fianna veterans and their partners attended. Some of those who attended on the night included Alderman P.S. Doyle, T.D., Major General Hugo MacNeill, Garry and Paddy Holohan, Sean Prendergast, Robert Holland, Ina Connolly Heron, Eamon Martin, Patrick Joseph Jordan, Seamus Kavanagh, Niall MacNeill, Joseph Reynolds, Christopher ‘Kit’ Martin, Sean Nugent, Michael Oman, Seamus Pounch, Nora Connolly O’Brien, Seamus Reader, Frederick Schweppe and Frank Thornton.

Framed, some creasing