FCA/Local Defence Force Emergency Medal

Selling this Local Defence Force Medal

An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ), or the Local Defence Force, was Ireland's second-line army reserve established in 1947 (formally 1946) to support the Permanent Defence Force during the post-Emergency period and Cold War. Consisting of volunteers, it replaced the wartime Local Defence Force (LDF) before being replaced by the modern Reserve Defence Force (RDF) in 2005.
Key details about the FCÁ include:
Purpose: It acted as a volunteer, part-time military force, with roughly 15,000 members in the mid-1990s.

History: The force was officially established on February 6, 1946, following the demise of the LDF. It was reorganized in 1959.

Structure: It was part of the Defense Forces, using the same ranks and unit structures as the regular army, often organized into infantry battalions across the country.

Activities: Members trained in evenings and weekends, with some units involved in local security or even film production (e.g., The Blue Max).

Transition: The FCÁ was stood down in 2005 and replaced by the current Reserve Defence Force (RDF).

The FCÁ played a vital role in national security for decades, particularly during the Cold War, and was known for its local community-based structure.

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