History


After the World War II, 1939/45 thousands of servicemen demobilised and formed many associations and federations on a local basis to help maintain the comradeship and companionship fostered while in the services. Organisations such as The National Federation of Irish ex-Servicemen and The Association of Regular ex-Servicemen (Defence Forces) were typical.
In 1950 these associations came together to form the Irish ex-Servicemen’s Organisation. The new organisation adopted for it’s emblem a badge incorporating the crest of the Defence Forces surrounding a centre piece of Black and Tan with a white 1 in the centre. Black and Tan was selected as the colour scheme in honour of those who fought against that body in 1919/1921 and the figure 1 in white signifying the unity of all the former organisations. Very soon afterwards the name was changed to Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann or in English Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and hence the capital letters O.N.E. Those letters O.N.E. were superimposed on the white number 1 in the centre of the emblem.
	The first National President of the Organisation was Major General Hugo McNeill and the vice Presidents were Senator Victor Carton P.C.; Lieutenant Colonel Fred O’Connor; Mr Eoin O’Riain B.L. and Mr Thomas Holt. Major Patrick J McDonagh was Chairman of the National Executive and Commandant Peter Duffy was the Honorary National Secretary.
After a few years of a shaky start the Organisation has gone from strength to strength and to-day there are fifty Branches throughout the Ireland and two in England . Down through the years relations with the Ministers for Defence, Chiefs of Staff, and other General Officers of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps have been very good and the Organisation has received excellent co-operation in various ways from them. The close links with the Department of Defence does not mean that the Organisation is not independent of them. It intends to remain so.
Because of the expansion of the network of Soldiers' Homes and other matters ONE considered it prudent to register with the Companies Office as a Limited Company without share capital and to apply for charitable status from the Revenue Commissioners. Both these requests were granted and the Company was granted a Certificate of Incorporation as Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann Teoranta(O.N.E.T.) under the Companies Acts 1963 to 1999 on 15th June 2000 by the Registrar of Companies; registered no. 328824.
As the representative bodies within the Defence Forces such as PDFORRA and RACO are debarred by statute from representing pensioners O.N.E.T. must assume this responsibility.