Jadotville Legacy in Irish Navy

Cork News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 27, 2026 · 1m

Nine new officers, including 24-year-old Ensign Jack McDonough-Elwood—whose great grandfather fought in the legendary Siege of Jadotville—have been commissioned into the Irish Naval Service, marking its 80th anniversary and the largest class in a decade. Jack carried a posthumous medal awarded to his great grandfather, John Joe McDonagh, a corporal whose bravery in the 1961 battle, where 155 Irish soldiers held off a 3,500–5,000-strong enemy force, is now studied by the U.S. military. His mother and grandmother attended the ceremony, recalling his deep connection to his hero. The top cadet…