WHEN PRIVATE SARAH Fitzsimons completed her passing out parade at Aiken Barracks in Dundalk today, she joined her mother Sergeant Sandra Murphy as the first ever mother-daughter duo to serve with the Irish Defence Forces.

After 27 weeks of intensive military training, Kildare Town-native Fitzsimons was watched on by her mother as she received her rank as a 3-star private and began her career in uniform today with the 27th infantry battalion.

She has seen her mother forge a career with the Defence Forces over the past 25 years that has seen Murphy deployed overseas to Lebanon, Kosovo, Uganda and Syria. 

In a statement, the Defence Forces described Sergeant Murphy as a “highly skilled communications and information technician” who played a key role in her daughter following in her footsteps. 

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Prior to her career in the Defence Forces, Private Fitzsimons completed her leaving cert and furthered her education with a PLC course in Criminology, Security and Legal studies.

She and 29 other recruits of the 57th Recruit Platoon began their training in Dundalk on 15 July 2019.

At the ceremony today, platoon commander Lt Conor O’Brien congratulated the young privates on their achievement and wished them well with their career in the Defence Forces.