President Mary McAleese laid a wreath today to commemorate the Irish who served and died in foreign wars and UN peacekeeping missions.
President McAleese, flanked by Sgt. John Grennan and Sgt John McGlinchy of the 2nd Brigade Military Police, lays a wreath at the Commemorative Plaque during a ceremony to mark National Day of Commemoration in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh
The ceremony in the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin was also attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, former taoiseach Mr Garret FitzGerald and six government ministers.
But it was dominated by the veterans and the families of those died on active duty - many of whom were visibly upset by the memories it rekindled.
The tricolour flew at half mast for the half hour service, while the singer Ms Bernadette Greevy's version of
Oft in the Stilly Night
echoed around the otherwise silent courtyard.
"It's so solemn and dignified," said Mr Joseph Ledwidge from Slane, Co Meath.
"It evokes great memories and sadness and pride as well. I hope it will continue for generations to come."
His uncle, Francis, was one of the most famous poets of World War One and was killed by a shell at the third battle of Ypres in France in 1917.
The National Day of Commemoration was set up to encompass this broad, which includes Irishmen who fought in the two world wars, navy sailors who died at sea and the thousands who served on UN peacekeeping missions.
In a short statement to the gathering, Mr Ahern said: "It is fitting that we remember all those Irish men and women who died in foreign wars or in service with the UN."
The tricolour flew at half mast as an interdenominational prayer service was held with representatives from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions.
The Reverend Donaldson Rodgers said: "For those who bear the scars of war, for what they did or failed to do, grant them peace."
The ceremony brought back memories for Mr Mick Butler, from Tullow in Carlow.
He served for 22 years with the Irish army, including four tours of duty in the Lebanon, where 47 Irish soldiers were killed.
"It was rough enough and tough going doing checkpoints and patrols all the time. But we built up a very good relationship with the local community," said Mr Butler.
Another soldier who attended the ceremony was Mr Joe Fitzgerald. He survived Niemba ambush in the Congo in 1960 in which nine other members of the Irish UN peacekeeping team were killed by Baluba tribesmen.
Mr Frank Robinson, from Marino in Dublin, served with the British Army's Irish Guards regiment in Yemen in 1966. He came to remember the ten Irish members who died there as British rule in the country collapsed.
"My mother's uncle served in the Irish Guards in World War One so there was a family history there. I listened to a lot of war stories growing up," said Mr Robinson.
A minute's silence was held at the end of the ceremony. The army's first Southern Brigade Band sounded the Last Post before the tricolour was raised to full mast again.