A ceremony took place last night in a Dublin hospital to honour and recognise the service of a man who was a merchant navy seaman during the second World War.
Mr Brendan F. Culleton (81) had a stroke 10 days ago on the morning of his 50th wedding anniversary. A few days ago his brain was pronounced inactive in St James's Hospital.
In the first officially recognised ceremony of its kind in a hospital, last night an Emergency Service award and certificate were presented for Mr Culleton's service in the merchant navy from 1939 to 1946.
His family wanted the ceremony to highlight the situation of merchant seamen who they say were never given the recognition or the medals that were due to them for their work during the Emergency.
His eldest son, Mr Brian Culleton, said: "We're not doing this for any glory for Dad but to highlight the plight of merchant seamen who were never recognised for their work in the war as the other services were. Thousands all over the world lost their lives."
After his father was taken ill, Mr Culleton was looking through his father's papers on behalf of his mother, Breada, when he discovered he was due a Medal of Honour and other medals.
"We never knew that he had won these medals. He never accepted them. We now realise it was because he had lost so many friends and colleagues in the war," Mr Culleton said.
Last night the chairman of the Irish Seamen's Relatives' Association, Mr Peter Mulvany, presented the medal and certificate for Mr Culleton's services. The ceremony was attended by a representative of the Department of the Marine, the hospital registrar and doctors and nurses.
Mr Culleton said his father, like many others, brought food and fuel supplies to Ireland during that time. His father was from Cork but lived in Dublin all his life. He practised as an ophthalmic optician in Dublin for 35 years.
About 10 years ago the government recognised men who served in the Emergency and conceded that they played a major role.
"There are hundreds of grandfathers and fathers out there whose families do not even know they served and that they are due Medals of Honour," Mr Culleton said.
His father was a Marconi radio officer in the second World War. He joined at the age of 19 and sailed with both the British and Irish merchant navies as Marconi rented radio officers out. He also served on US frigates in the north Atlantic and was due medals from them.
"We were told he has only a few days to go," Mr Culleton said.