Thirteen Irish veterans of World War II have been granted more than €21,000 from British lottery funds to allow them make a return visit to the countries where they served.
The Big Lottery Fund's "Heroes Return" programme paid €21,124 to men and women from Dublin, Cork, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon, Kildare and Waterford. The funding was announced at a lunch in Dublin to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the war.
War veteran, Patrick O'Sullivan
A grant of €3,150 has already been paid to Patrick O'Sullivan (81) from Blackrock, Co Dublin, who returned to India last month where he served with the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Mr O'Sullivan visited war memorials and cemeteries in Bombay and Delhi. "The trip was marvellous," he said.
"My daughter went with me and the grant included her visit as well. She was a great help during the trip, as it was very tiring. I decided to go because it was a great opportunity and one I'll not have again."
Mr O'Sullivan was 19 when he joined up and said he had always been interested in the military life. "I knew I wasn't going to win the war on my own, but I went for a great adventure I guess - and I certainly got one. When I look back I think of the happy times - not the days I cried."
The Dubliner said India was "a strange place".
"It was a real shock to the system in many ways as it was so very poor and deprived. My role with the Air Force was as ground crew maintenance and it was very hard, dirty work getting the planes ready for action.
"When I returned to Ireland I was treated well but my nerves were pretty bad. Everyone from the family was there to greet me in the house but I felt a bit boxed-in so within half an hour I had to make an excuse and go out and get a haircut. It was difficult readjusting to civilian life, I must admit."
"I'm glad I got the opportunity to return to India. The memories of war will never fade but I am thankful to the Big Lottery Fund for allowing me to visit the graves and to relive the memories."
Hilda Smith (90) from Naas, Co Kildare, served in the Army Nursing Service in northern India between 1942 and 1946. She was awarded the Burma Star in 1944.
Ms Smith was awarded €3,150 for a 10-day trip in October.
"I'm really looking forward to the trip, although it's going to be very tiring going all that way. This is my first visit back and I've got lots of vivid memories of my time there.
"It was tough, very tough and I'm going back to visit the graves of friends and colleagues who I served with. I remember that the military hospitals were often in the middle of nowhere and even when we had a day off, there was absolutely nowhere to go!"
Patrick Connolly from Boyle, Co Roscommon, was granted €1,313 for a visit to Naples. Mr Connolly (81), who is currently in Italy on the trip, is visiting the grave of his brother Richard, who was killed in action.
Briege Gadd, a member of the Big Lottery Northern Ireland board, said the "Heroes Return" scheme had been very successful in helping veterans and widows from all over Ireland revisit places around the world which are of special importance to them.