Military funeral

On my way home today through town for lunch I noticed traffic was seriously backed up. Upon arriving at the bridge, I saw the following: a military funeral.

I’ve been told that Athlone hosts the oldest continually operating military barracks in Europe, and, of course, the military continues in the town today. It’s not unusual to find oneself rushing to work in Athlone alongside a soldier in camouflage. It is not, thank goodness, a common thing to find oneself on the bridge with armed soldiers in their dress uniforms to salute a fallen comrade.