An Irish Soldier’s Diaries
FROM the day he enrolled in the Ennis Battalion of the FCA in 1949, Michael Moriarty kept a diary of his life and times with the Irish army. As the source of An Irish Soldier’s Diaries, it is a remarkable record spanning four decades of engagement in UN peacekeeping missions. What gives this book greater relevance is that this is the first account of its kind by a senior officer. Drawn from his personal diaries, it is a rich tapestry of the minutiae of military life.
His first rifle was a single shot, bolt action .303 Lee Enfield, a much-scarred relic of World War I. One can see his shiny size nine brown leather boots and over-sized beret. In those days, FCA recruits had to dip into their own pockets to buy Brasso, shoe polish and polishing cloths.
