Original certificate issued to a member of the Irish Naval Reserve. (Sluagh Muiri) for service during the Second World War (what is known in Ireland as the “Emergency”) The Irish Naval Reserve was based on the French 17th. Century Maritime Inscription and was also part of the Second Line Volunteer Reserve. A particularly scarce certificate as the naval service and reserve were quite small.
This genuine certificate was awarded along with the Emergency medal (Sluagh Muiri). On offer here is an authentic and previously un-issued certificate dating back to 1946 when these medals and certificates were presented to those who served for the appropriate length of time in the Irish Naval Reserve. The certificate which is printed in vivid and still fresh, unfaded colours, measures about twelve inches by thirteen inches and is printed on cream good quality parchment type paper. The attractively coloured boundary motifs on each of the corners are the emblems of the four Provinces of Ireland, Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught. The borders are designed with typically Irish Celtic interlacing designs similar to those found in the Book of Kells and other similar early Irish illuminated manuscripts. The central motif is the “Fianna Fail” emblem within a belt which reads “Oglaig na hEireann”. This is all surrounded by a golden rayed sunburst. This is the badge of the Irish Volunteers and which continues to this day as the national badge of the Irish Defence Forces. The writing is all in Gaelic script and translates into English as follows:-
“NATIONAL SERVICE”
THIS CERTIFIES THAT (Blank space for filling in name) GAVE HONOURABLE SERVICE IN THE Naval Reserve DURING THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 1939-1946. Finally the certificate carries a printed signature of the then Minister for Defence.