SDLP councillor Pat McCarthy welcomes Irish government apology to Irish soldiers

SDLP Councillor Pat McCarthy has welcomed the move by the Irish Government to apologise to thousands of soldiers who left the Irish Army to join the British Army to fight in World War II.

The soldiers were branded “deserters” and banned from taking any publicly funded jobs on their return home.

Belfast City Councillor Pat McCarthy said on Tuesday: ““I welcome todays apology to the brave soldiers who fought during World War II and who were wrongly stigmatised as deserters.

“This rectifies a great wrong which has blighted the good service of these soldiers for many years.

“This is a period in our shared history in which despite Ireland’s neutrality between 1939-1945 Irish people fought against the worst and most shocking form of fascism.

“Nazism was a real evil and something which thousands of Irish soldiers wanted to fight against.

“That they were labelled deserters rather than heroes on their return is shameful.

“Today’s apology is welcome and is recognition, albeit late of the outstanding and courageous service of Irish soldiers during the Second World War,” added the councillor.