62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron The 62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron is an armoured unit in the Irish Reserve Defence Forces ( RDF ) . It was formed in 2005 from the former 11 Cavalry Squadron FCÁ , 11 Motor Squadron FCÁ , 11 Cyclist Regiment FCÁ , and 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 Cyclist Squadrons LDF . Locations and Operations . HQ is located at Cathal Brugha Barracks , Rathmines , Dublin . The unit is twinned with 2 Cavalry Squadron in the same barracks . Both are part of 2 Eastern Brigade . See website link below for more details . Training . As a cavalry unit , troopers get extensive training on infantry weapons as well as heavy mounted armaments . In addition the unit operates a variety of vehicles including motorbikes , 4x4 Landrovers , trucks and armoured cars . Troopers are put through a rigorous training course involving basic infantry weapons and other military skills . Troopers eventually progress from motorbikes and 4x4s through to heavy truck and armoured car driving . History . The Emergency . The units roots start during " The Emergency " . During World War II , Ireland adopted a stance of strict neutrality , and contingency plans were made to defend the state from enemies from abroad , supported mainly by volunteer " reservists " . A Cyclist Squadron was formed in March 1942 , part of the Corps in the North Dublin area . On 14 May 1942 the 41st Cyclist Squadron was established , made up of active cyclist from Dublin clubs , and training began in McKee Barracks . Thus the embryonic 11 Cyclist Regiment L . D . F was born , with the 42nd ( An Óige ) Cyclist Squadron following shortly afterwards , and the 43rd Cyclist Squadron after that . The Guidgon of the latter included a Pegasus , which was incorporated into the 11 Cavalry ( FCA ) Regimental Guidgon after the Emergency . The next Squadron was the 44th ( an Irish speaking unit ) , and the formation of a Headquarters brought the Regiment to full strength . On 15 October 1944 the Guidgons were formally presented to the Regiment . These units were not involved directly in the conflict in Europe , and when " The Emergency " ended , the raison d ’ être for the L . D . F ceased . However there was recognition of the need for a reserve force and so all members of the L . D . F were given the option of forming the new Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil ( F . C . A ) in 1946 . Time marched on and the 11 Cyclist Regiment became mechanised the last ‘ cyclist camp ’ being Renmore in 1947 . Mechanisation from 1948 meant the Unit got Ford V8 Armoured Cars , ( built in Thompson of Carlow ) , ‘ Bug - Chasers ’ or Gitnas , Beaverettes and BSA motor bikes . Coy Sgt . J . Dillon ( F . C . A ) reports of a return visit to Renmore in 1949 which included a " mile - and - a - half long cortege " . This must indeed have been a sight to behold . He also reports that the R . S . M was able to hand over this mighty armada " all present and correct " in Eyre Square ! ( See An Cosantoir , Vol IX , No . 10 October 1949 page 488 ) . At the end of the 50 ’ s the F . C . A was integrated into the regular Army Brigade structure , Clem Kinsella got lateral promotion to the Brigade Staff and first regular Officer Commanding , Comdt . J . Larkin , was appointed . Commanding Officers from 1959 onwards were regular serving Comdts . The Regiment was reduced to Squadron strength , as 11 Motor Squadron , the appointment of a Regimental Sgt . Major went with the Regiment into history and John ( Nobby ) Clark became Squadron Sergeant . The 60 ’ s were lean years for the 11 Motor Squadron . Commitments to the UN stripped the Unit of the Armour and in fairness the military higher command had more demands than ever on resources . So the 11 Motor Squadron slipped down the list of priorities as far as armament was concerned . Whatever the reasons the strength dropped very low so much so that we went to camp in Kilkenny one year in the late 1960s in a bus the whole unit ! In these circumstances , contrary to expectations morale was extraordinary high and ingenuity and improvisation was the order of the day . This period saw the sport of orienteering introduced to the 11 Motor Squadron . Things changed in the early 1970s . Two incidents happened , though whether they were casually linked is open to debate . The first was the arrival of the late Mick Considine as training officer and the second the acquiring of the Landsverk L180 armoured cars in December 1972 . Capt . Considine seemed to take it for granted that the 11 Cavalry Squadron was a military unit . He brooked no excuses and the Unit responded . The norm was one weekend and one field day a month . Baldonnel runways became a second home for Lansverk driving . Capt . Considine left on promotion to Comdt . and Capt . Brendan McCann replaced him . He was of the same mould and over night exercises , 07 . 00 Pt parades became the norm . Squadron Sergeant John Clark retired in 1973 to be replaced by Squadron Sergeant Joe Carroll . Joe had been the regular Quartermaster in the 11 Motor Squadron who rejoined the F . C . A . Both men added a " je ne sais quoi " to the spirit of the Squadron and will be remembered for long years to come . In 1970 the 11 Motor Squadron was called to the aid the Army and supply troops on border duty in Cootehill , Castleblaney , and Dundalk . The Unit furthermore did security duties in Carrickmines , Finglas ESB station , and Roundwood , and supplies drivers for security details around Dublin . All this activity added a real element of soldiering for the members of the 11 Cavalry Squadron . Mar a deireann an seanfhocal " thuas seal , sios seal " the good times seemed to come to an end in the 1980s . Time caught up with the Lansverks , the last one was boarded in 1985 . These magnificent ‘ war horses ’ had given almost 50 years of service . The old guard officers , Comdt . Clem Kinsella , Capt . Eddie Farrell , Frank McMahon , Tom Buckley , Paddy Boyle , Comdt . Brendan O ’ Tighearnaigh and Comdt . William Moulton all retired in this decade as did Squadron Sergeant Joe Carroll , Squadron Quartermaster Peadar Grimes and Sgt . Willie McDonagh . However the 1980s were not all doom and gloom . The Landsverks were replaced by Panhard AML 60 ’ s . Adventure training was given a " place in the sun " and weapons training continued . Under a Cavalry Corps reorg , the unit was renamed 11 Cavalry Squadron in keeping with other Corps units . The 11 Cavalry Squadron moved from McKee Barracks to Griffith Barracks in 1986 an in effect ‘ twinned ’ with the 2 Cavalry Squadron , to the mutual satisfaction and benefit of both . The first integrated camp , all Squadrons , regular and F . C . A , took place in fort Davis ( Cork ) in 1987 , and the 11 Cavalry Squadron competed on an equal footing with its sister units . During the 1990s , the Squadron revived its charity collection at Christmas , with particular emphasis on collecting for Children ’ s hospitals . The AML60 became a familiar sight opposite the GPO each December . Total receipts are well over the 350K for the years of effort , and help the Hospitals to fund the purchase of vital diagnostic equipment , especially in Temple Street Hospital . The fine tradition of shooting continued into the 1990s , with the unit winning Brigade BAP competition , and SS Bill Prenderville winning the All Army Gustav Individual . In 1998 the Unit also won the Brigade Military Skills competition for first time . Into the new Millennium the 11 Cavalry Squadron developed more intensive training programs , and broader range of courses , with armoured car shoots conducted at least twice a year , and FCÁ personnel taking part on the same gunnery shoot as their PDF counterparts . As part of a wider restructure of the defence forces ( which began from 2000 ) , the 11 Cavalry Squadron FCA was stood down in October 2005 and the new 62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron RDF took up the mantel .