At the GSRMA annual delegate conference in the Malton hotel in Killarney there was a poignant debate on the honouring of deceased retired members and the availability, presentation and protocol of the national tricolour to the widow/widower of the deceased retired member.

Some delegates offered some sobering observations on their own experiences of the lack of a standard commemoration for past members in their own regional branches. It had caused a lot of upset for the deceased member’s relatives that the deceased member had been forgotten in such a way after a lifetime of service.

A motion was proposed to explore options for the GSRMA to honour deceased members particularly if they had served in the GSRMA. The central executive informed delegates that it had consulted with the Taoiseach’s departmental protocol section for guidance on the issue.

They clarified that it was acceptable protocol for the widow/widower or decreased member’s relatives to be presented with the national flag on their passing. The motion received unanimous support from both delegates and the central executive.