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Defence Forces pull out of Blacksod D-Day commemoration at last minute after officials intervene

Maureen Sweeney provided weather readings from remote Co Mayo harbour that delayed the Normandy landings

Organisers of the event, it is understood, had made contact with the Defence Forces directly to seek a flyover and participation. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

Jack Horgan-Jones
Tom Shiel
Sat Jun 8 2024 - 06:00

The Defence Forces pulled out of a D-Day commemoration in Blacksod, Co Mayo at the eleventh hour this week after an intervention from Government officials, The Irish Times has learned.

Organisers of the event, which was held to commemorate the contribution of 21-year-old Maureen Sweeney to the D-Day landings, had been expecting an Air Corps flyover and the participation of a naval ship, but were left disappointed when word came late that the Defence Forces could not take part.

As a 21-year-old working in Blacksod Post Office in early June 1944, Ms Sweeney provided the weather readings from northwest Mayo which helped sway Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D Eisenhower’s fateful decision to delay the D-Day invasion of Normandy from June 5th to June 6th, when weather conditions in the English Channel would be more favourable.

Organisers of the event, it is understood, had made contact with the Defence Forces directly to seek a flyover and participation, rather than routing it through the normal channel, the Department of Defence.

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Defence Forces personnel contacted the Naval Service, which said it had no ship available, and the Air Corps. But it was only when the Air Corps contacted the Department of Defence regarding the flyover that officials intervened to veto participation, following consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

It is understood that the Defence Forces could only contact the organisers late in the day in advance of the event taking place.

Fergus Sweeney, one of Maureen and Ted Sweeney’s 11 grandchildren, said the decision was “very disappointing”. *

[ Irishwoman whose weather forecast changed D-Day landing date dies aged 100 ]

“We were looking forward to having the aircraft and the ship here. Everything was lined up and advertised. We feel let down. It’s kind of embarrassing,” he said.

“We also wanted to honour those Coastwatchers, members of the Local Defence Forces (LDF) who were responsible for identifying and reporting on shipping and aircraft movements along our coastline during second World War, but that also could not happen.”

Initial contact between the organisers and a Defence Forces historian was understood to have led to a tentative agreement to partake in the event, but this was later vetoed by the Department of Defence, The Irish Times understands.

The Department of Defence told The Irish Times that the Defence Forces participate in the National Day of Commemoration on the Sunday closest to July 11th, and that participation in D-Day commemorations would therefore be contrary to policy.

“Any request for use of Defence Forces assets in any event is subject to policy,” the Department of Defence said in response to a question about whether it had withdrawn from the Blacksod commemoration. “In the absence of any Government-led commemoration, the Defence Forces’ participation in this event would have been inconsistent with this policy.”

Military historian Captain Donal Buckley, one of the speakers at yesterday’s events, insisted on Thursday that there had been a definite commitment on the part of the Defence Forces.

He said: “It was a done deal. There was to be a ship in the bay and a fly-past. They Defence Forces were playing ball all along and were anxious to participate.

“However, the Civil Service decided it was not politic to be involved.”

Thursday’s day long events began at dawn with a remembrance ceremony. Throughout the day, exhibits were open to the public, showcasing the roles of Met Éireann, An Post, and the Defence Forces during the war.

These exhibits, enhanced with materials related to the D-Day weather forecast, offer insights into Maureen Sweeney’s life.

On June 4th, 1944 Maureen provided a weather report that is credited with changing the course of history.

A native of Co Kerry, Maureen married lighthouse keeper Ted Sweeney.

Her weather report was enough to convince planners that the D-Day invasion be postponed by 24 hours.

Maureen’s report, which predicted bad weather, was forwarded from the Irish Met Service to the Allied headquarters in southern England. This led to the rescheduling of the landings.

Historians assert that this weather forecast significantly contributed to the success of the mammoth D-Day operation, the largest seaborne military invasion in history.

Some years ago, Maureen, who passed away last December aged 100, was honoured by the US House of Representatives for her small but significant part in second World War.

She is celebrated as “the woman who saved D-Day”.

*This article was corrected on Monday, June 10th, 2024. A clause in the previous version was open to the interpretation that Fergus Sweeney had said he was disappointed with the Defence Forces which was not in fact the case.

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times

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