Mingy Prayer-book

Designed to fit in a shirt pocket, the Mingy Prayer Book has become the model for prayerbooks which have been distributed by chaplains in other countries.

This Tactical Aide-Mémoire provides prayers for various occasions in the work and relationships of a serving member of the Defence Forces.

The prayerbook includes prayers for various occasions.

The Mingy Prayer Book has been reprinted on three occasions (personnel in the Defence Forces Printing Press know all the prayers by heart at this stage!!)

Your chaplain will be happy to provide you with one (if you have lost the one which you received as a recruit or in case it ended up in the washing-machine by accident!)

The Mingy Prayer Book, as it is known, derives its name from the Congo, where Irish military personnel served in the 1960's. The traders who set up their stalls near the camp were often asked if they had a particular item in stock. Their standard reply was "mingy, mingy" meaning "many" or "plenty".

The word has taken on a richness of meanings far beyond its original commercial implications. Depending on the context in which it is used, it can convey approval or disfavour. The beauty of the word is that it means exactly what you want it to mean when you use it. Best of all, it's a word that is used and fully understood only by members of the Defence Forces and, to some extent, their families.