It demonstrated remarkable maturity for Pte Geraghty, who was only three years older, and reflected his army training on how to deal with high-stress situations. Fr Murphy, the Defence Forces' chaplain, who was wearing casual clothes at the time, was driving his car back to the barracks. HonouredJoined by Pte Ciara Shanahan, the three soldiers and Fr Murphy were given the rare Defence Forces’ honour of Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) last month. He said he was “delighted” to get the recognition of the DSM, adding that he was “very happy” for Pte Geraghty and Pte Shanahan. Fr Murphy said: “You’d have a lifetime of wondering should I have killed him, did I do the right thing or the wrong thing.

Source: Irish Examiner March 04, 2026 01:00 UTC