Army pensions for soldiers’ widows

UP to 260 widows of soldiers who fought during the War of Independence are continuing to receive army pensions.

The Defence Forces were formed immediately in the aftermath of the War of Independence and were initially known as the Irish Free State Army. Soldiers had fought during the 1919 to 1921 war under the leadership of Michael Collins during the war to gain freedom from the British.

Department of Defence secretary general Michael Howard yesterday told an Oireachtas committee that as many as 260 spouses of soldiers who had fought for independence were alive.