Twenty members of Louth Civil Defence have been awarded special medals as a mark of appreciation for the work they carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic.

These medals, which were presented last Thursday by Louth County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr. Conor Keelan were commissioned in 2022 by the then Minister for Defence Simon Coveney as a mark of appreciation of all Civil Defence volunteers who undertook duties during the Covid -19 crisis. 

The medals consist of a cross, bearing the Irish Civil Defence harp logo, to signify extraordinary leadership, dedication, sense of duty and courage in assisting communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A total of 20 volunteers from Louth Civil Defence completed in excess of 200 assignments during the pandemic. These included:

• Transporting people to and from hospital and other essential appointments
• Assisting the HSE at testing centres
• Assisting the Irish Blood Transfusion Service
• Delivering essential foodstuff and medications to vulnerable households

This is the second presentation ceremony for Louth Civil Defence personnel. A national ceremony was held in Croke Park on 29 November 2022 where Minister Coveney presented Covid - 19 medals to Civil Defence representatives from all counties including seven members from Louth.

Louth County Council have hosted a number of events as part of national commemorations for those lost in the pandemic, and to acknowledge those who worked through it.

Events were held over the last year in Dundalk and Drogheda to give the people of Louth the opportunity to mark this occasion in an appropriate and dignified manner.

These included a formal wreath laying ceremony at Fair Street, Drogheda.

The ceremony, which took place in the Oriel Centre in Dundalk, also saw a number of long service medals awarded to Civil Defence members with 50, 30, 20 and 10 year medals.