Seventy years ago this weekend, an historic event of international proportions took place in Fermanagh. The Supreme Commander of the United States Army, General Dwight D(Ike) Eisenhower, inspected American troops in Enniskillen shortly before the D-Day landings.

On May 18, 1944, General Eisenhower, who in 1953 became the 34th President of the United States, addressed troops gathered at Celtic Park and also did a review of soldiers on Portora Royal School’s playing fields.

Next Monday, in honour of the occasion 70 years ago, the playing fields will be renamed the Eisenhower Playing Fields and there will be a day of events around Fermanagh to commemorate the occasion. In the build-up to D-Day on June 6 1944, a quarter of Fermanagh’s population consisted of American military personnel based in 20 garrisons, and even before the USA entered WWII in December 1941, it was an Enniskillen-based American pilot who first spotted the Bismark in May 1941.

The US Army’s General George Smith Patton reviewed his troops in the town in February 1944, and his ‘gutsy’ speech became the script of the 1970 Hollywood blockbuster ‘Patton’ starring George C. Scott.

Supreme Commander General Dwight D. (Ike) Eisenhower, later to become U.S.A. President, inspected 2,000 soldiers on Portora’s rugby field on May 18 1944. Four days before Ike’s visit, a grotto was concentrated at the crash site in the nearby Graan monastery where seven American airmen died in a Flying Fortress during the previous year.

Ike’s historic review confirmed his Fermanagh-based troops’ readiness for D-Day, noting that they showed “exactly the same signs of fitness and training” as the 3rd Infantry Division had displayed on the Mediterranean front.

Many thousands of young Americans died on the beaches of Normandy and further inland, the biggest seaborne invasion in history, retrospectively named ‘the beginning of the end of WWII.’ Marking the enormous significance of General Ike’s Portora inspection 70 years ago, and of County Fermanagh’s role as a vital American out-post prior to D-Day, oak trees and plaques will be planted and dedicated across the county, and a series of major events attended by V.I.P. dignitaries, politicians, celebrities, veterans and historians, will be held on Monday next as well as Friday, June 6, the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

Watch video of Eisenhower's visit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V51qWaerTak Anniversary events on Monday, May 19 • Morning - The U.S. Consul, Gregory Burton will assist school children plant an oak tree and unveil a commemorative plinth to mark General Eisenhower’s historic visit to Celtic Park (adjacent to Model School). The Stars and Stripes will fly on the school flagpole as the children greet the arrival of the U.S. Consul. The Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Alex Baird will also be in attendance.

• Mid-Morning - Later, the U.S. Consul will attend a WWII educational event for 130 primary school children at Enniskillen Library where they will be shown what it was like to live in Fermanagh during the Second World War as well as being given a background to the U.S. Forces stationed in the county and the significance of Eisenhower’s visit. American WWII jeeps will be on display from the Wartime Living History Association in addition to soldiers dressed in WWII American army uniform . Children will see previously unscreened film footage of General Eisenhower’s visit to Enniskillen. There will also be a Q&A session with D-Day veterans. This will mark the official opening of the photographic exhibition, ‘General Eisenhower’s visit to Enniskillen on 18th May 1944’.

• Late morning - Cavalcade of U.S. Army Vehicles will transport U.S. Consul to Portora Royal School Playing Fields where a public event will be held when they will be official renamed, Eisenhower Playing Fields. in the presence of the U.S. Consul, Viscount Brookeborough, the Duke of Abercorn, the Chairman of Fermanagh Council and other VIPs. An interpretative panel will also be unveiled and an oak tree planted accompanied by a commemorative plinth.

• Afternoon - At the Graan, U.S. Consul General Gregory Burton will meet Father Brian D’Arcy and Joe O’Loughlin when they will recount the tragedy of the seven U.S. aircrew who died when their Flying Fortress aircraft, ‘The Galley Uncle’ crashed on December 9 1943. Five other crew members survived due to the bravery of the Monks who rescued them from the burning aircraft. In return U.S. soldiers contributed £250, which was used for the erection of a white marble statue in ‘Our Lady’s Bower’ at the Graan. This now bears the names of the crew members who lost their lives and also those who survived. An oak tree will be planted.

• Late afternoon - The U.S. Consul will visit Enniskillen County Museum and Inniskillings Regimental Museum and World War II exhibits and later he will attend “The Way We Were,” an American Big Band Tea Dance at Enniskillen Library with a 1940’s theme, featuring the Fermanagh Concert Band. The event is free but booking should be made through Enniskillen Library.

Anniversary of D-Day Landings on June 6 On June 6, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day landings, Lord and Lady Erne will be hosting an event at Crom Castle attended by Gloria Hunniford, the Tourism Minister, Arlene Foster and Viscount Brookeborough. The U.S. Consul will present commemorative plaques to those associated with the locations at which U.S.Forces were stationed and where oak trees are being planted. These include Drumcose Estate, Ely Lodge, Necarne, Killadeas, Manor House, Crom Castle, Colebrooke, Blessingbourne, Enniskillen Castle, Castle Coole, Florencecourt, Belle Isle, Lisgoole Abbey, St.Angelo, Belleek, Breandrum, Celtic Park, The Graan, Eisenhower Playing Fields and Castle Archdale.