With military ceremonial the Service Certificate of Countess Markievicz, founder and Chief Scout of Fianna Eireann, was formally presented to Mr. MacBride, Minister for External Affairs, who received it on behalf of the Government at the National Museum.
Military honours were accorded by the 26th (Fianna), Battalion, F.C.A., while there was a big turn-out of members of the National Association of Old Fianna Eireann, which sponsored the ceremonies.
Mass was celebrated for deceased members of the Fianna by Rev. Father Ardiff, in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Dublin Castle. The Battalion and the Association members then marched to the Museum, where a large crowd watched the ceremony. Lieut. H. MacNeill (F.C.A.), son of Major-Gen. H. MacNeill, G.O.C., Eastern Command, had the honour of carrying the original Fianna standard at the head of the parade.
Mr. Eamon Martin, President of the Association, making the presentation to Mr. MacBride, said that it was very appropriate that the Minister, who was one of Countess Markievicz’s boy-soldiers in the ranks of the Fianna, should accept the Certificate on behalf of the nation to which she rendered such unceasing and devoted service. This woman, he said, had “the foresight and the courage to launch a militant organisation which was to pioneer the trail for the glorious years which followed, and which witnessed the resurgence of their people“.
They could not pay a more fitting tribute to the memory of “Madame” than by renewing the pledge they took on joining the organisation which she founded. Let them resolve, once again, he said, that they would never relax in their efforts until every inch of their soil was rid of the occupation forces of an alien Government.
Mr. MacBride, replying, thanked the Association on behalf of the people and the Government for presenting the Certificate as a token to the memory and service of Countess Markievicz. Few people did as much to raise the flag of national freedom and of economic and social freedom as she did, and it was fitting that in these days they should have presented to the nation a reminder of the ideals of Fianna Eireann so that they might guide them in the tasks that lay ahead of the nation.
“I hope,” said Mr. MacBride, “that this token and this ceremony to-day will help to keep before our minds -the tasks which have yet to be achieved the task of securing the territorial unity of our nation which has been denied us by those who formerly occupied this country, and the task of making effective the pledge which this nation gave to guarantee equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens.”
Mr. MacBride appealed to the people to unite steadfastly in their determination not to rest until they had secured their ultimate national objective the re-unification of Ireland as the Republic of Ireland.
After the ceremony outside the Museum, the parade marched to St. Stephen’s Green, and a halt was made to observe a short silence outside the College of Surgeons, where Countess Markievicz was second in command in the 1916 Rising.
The final ceremony was outside 34 Camden St., where the first sluagh of Fianna Eireann was formed in 1909. Here a wreath was placed on the door by Mr. E. de Valera, T.D., who inspected a guard of honour of veterans of that first sluagh.
Among those present were Major Gen. MacNeill; Lieut.-Col. H. L. Murphy, Staff Officer, F.C.A., Eastern Command; Lieut.-Commander C. B. O’Connor, Naval Service; Lieut. P. Dalton, O.C. 26th (Fianna) Battalion, F.C.A.
Countess Markievicz’s service certificate is to be preserved in the Museum among the other relics of the 1916 Rising.
Credit: Irish Independent 17th April 1950
The History of Na Fianna Éireann 