Two countries, Canada and Ireland, share proud traditions of participating in peacekeeping missions conducted worldwide under the auspices of the United Nations Organization.

It was Canada that took the lead in establishing a United Nations role in meaningful peacekeeping endeavours, thanks mainly to the work of diplomat, later Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson, in ending the invasion of Egypt by Britain and France in 1956, during what was later termed the Suez Canal crisis.

Since that time Canada has been a stout supporter of the United Nations, contributing personnel and materiel to its peacekeeping operations in many countries. Many members of the Canadian Armed Forces have won their country great honour carrying out UN duties, and more than 113 have given their lives carrying out those duties. The UN Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa commemorates their heroism.

Not so well known is the record of Ireland's Twenty-Six County Republic in supporting United Nations' peacekeeping operations. That record was recalled at a ceremony held on December 22 2005, held at Finner Camp, the military base in County Donegal where many volunteer personnel were trained before taking up various UN assignments.

The ceremony marked Ireland's 50th anniversary as a member of the United Nations Organization. Speaking on behalf of the government, Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan, a native of Donegal, said the country was rightly proud of its part in helping to contain many conflicts, and in bringing relief to their victims. But, she added, peace remained elusive for millions of people around the world.

"Today we need the United Nations more than ever," she said. "We need it to maintain international stability and order. We need it to tackle problems that do not respect borders, like AIDS, drugs, and terrorism."

Stressing that 85 Irish troops had died in various missions trying to keep the peace worldwide, she said: "We must never forget their selfless courage."

A list of all United Nations peacekeeping operations may be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_all_UN_peacekeeping_missions and it may be of interest to note that one of the first to which Ireland contributed troops was in the Congo in 1960. A total of 26 Irish troops were killed during that operation.

One of the Congo veterans, Mickey Bradley, from Buncrana, Co. Donegal, attended the ceremony at Finner Camp. He recalled avoiding a Swedish mercenary gun woman who wanted to kill him.

"She was a sniper i