The first anniversary of September 11th was marked by all the emergency services in Dundalk yesterday.
The fire service, ambulance crews and gardaí all gathered at Dundalk fire station and observed a minute's silence at 1.46 p.m. in memory of their colleagues who perished in the attacks.
It was particularly poignant for fireman Mr Kevin Cormican who had worked with the New York Fire Department before returning to Ireland to live in Dundalk.
Two of his former colleagues, Mr Michael Mullan and Mr Angel Juabe, were killed in the attacks. Kevin and two other firefighters from Dundalk got a warm welcome when they travelled to Manhattan last September to give whatever assistance they could.
"We had hoped to get to ground zero and to do some work but unfortunately we didn't get to do a whole lot as the place was under wraps."
However the fire service in Louth raised around €44,000 for the fire station in New York where Kevin worked.
The firefighters have kept in touch and both the Dundalk and Drogheda crews will be represented at next month's special commemoration service in New York.
Louth's chief fire officer Mr Éamon Woulfe said: "September 11th brought home the work that the fire service does, more than any other incident has done in recent times. It also reminds us of the importance of the service and the challenges the people in it face."