One of the toughest mental, physical and emotional tests of their army careers - the Defence Forces on special training manoeuvres

Candidates on the 20th Defence Forces Potential NCO course. Picture: Neil Michael/Irish Examiner

At oh nine hundred hours Monday morning, while most of us were either at work or still on our daily commute, an army convoy was snaking its way through the outskirts of Cork city towards Cobh.

Waiting for it was a large ship with a crew readying to set sail.