Irish History Lecture: The Siege of Jadotville by Commandant Leo Quinlan

When on September 3rd, Ireland’s contingent of United Nations peacekeepers – “A” Company – The 35th Infantry Battalion, led by Commandant Pat Quinlan, took up the UN post at Jadotville. On September 9th, a large force of Katangese Gendarmerie surrounded them and early on the morning of September 13th “A” Company, the Irish Battalion, endured the most ferocious and continuous attack. It is estimated that as many as 3,500 heavily armed Katangese enemy were pitted against the 154 Irishmen. The Irish men were lightly armed, with antiquated artillery, 60mm mortars, light machine guns and shoulder-fired anti-tank guns. They had just one truck, two jeeps and only intermittent radio communications. The Katangans had full artillery and air support in a single Fouga Magister training jet.

Over the next five days, Commandant Pat Quinlan led a robust, heroic and now world recognised, defensive, until the Irish Battalion were taken into captivity and remained there until, the UN were finally able to negotiate their release, and they returned home to Ireland in December 1961. 

Commandant Pat Quinlan had saved his men’s lives; He was a true hero and his men were heroes, however when they returned home to Ireland, there was to be no hero’s welcome. The surrender of “A” Company was seen by some as a national embarrassment, which overshadowed the men’s courage and competence. The treatment of the Jadotville troops infuriated the soldiers and their families and led to a decades-long fight to recognise the importance of the battle.

This Lecture will be given by the son of Commandant Pat Quinlan, a retired Army Officer of the same rank, Commandant Leo Quinlan. Leo will share the first-hand words of his heroic father, who after returning to home to Ireland would never speak about what happened in Jadotville to anyone, until eventually he recorded his memories and told his own son. 

Commandant Leo Quinlan’s lecture will also highlight how the battle of Jadotville was swept under the carpet; and the ways  ‘moral injury’ effected the soldiers and their families for generations and decades to come, until Commandant Pat Quinlan and his  men were finally recognised in 2017.

You tube video:   Remembering Commandant Pat Quinlan 

You tube video: Irish Soldiers from Siege of Jadotville get their medals    

 About Commandant Leo Quinlan

Leo Quinlan is a retired Irish Army Officer and is the son of Colonel Patrick Quinlan who as a Commandant commanded the Irish troops in the Battle of Jadotville in the Congo in 1961.

During his army career Leo Quinlan served as an Infantry officer in Ireland, Israel, Egypt, Cyprus and Lebanon.

He commanded a Ranger Company and designed, trained and led the first Special Assault Group in the Irish Army. Coincidentally Leo Quinlan commanded some of the veterans of the Battle of Jadotville and at one time his father was in fact his Commanding Officer.

After leaving the Army Leo has worked as a Training Manager in a US Multinational Company in Ireland the and the USA as well as Senior Consultant in the field of Human Resource Development primarily  for the European Commission. This work was carried out extensively in Western Europe, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Africa and in all Central and Eastern European countries – a total of 48 countries altogether.

Most recently his work has included working with projects with the Kenyan Army, the South African Police and also in Finland, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania in a number of projects, all of which were focused on Human Resources Development, Capacity Building, Organisation and Delivery of Training.

Since 2016 Leo has delivered talks on the Battle of Jadotville to Officers and troops from 70 different armies, Veterans Associations, Educational Organisations.

Historical Societies, The British Legion, The International Police Association and the Corporate Sector. He is currently interacting with the US War College on the subject of Jadotville.

Currently Leo divides his time writing, landscape painting and public speaking.