BASED ON REAL PERSONS ?

It had to have been fictional. However, for whatever it's worth, the name of Myles Keogh (spelled with a "Y") was actually that of an Irish-born 19th Century soldier of fortune who served in the Papal Army during the Garibaldi revolution in Italy and then became a Union cavalry officer during the Civil War. He was killed in action at the Battle of the Little Bighorn (Custer's Last Stand) in 1876 while in command of Company I, 7th Cavalry Regiment.

Many of the events in the film are based on fact.

My father was in the Irish army during the 2nd world war and stationed at the Curragh, which is the camp the film is based on.

When we were growing up in the 60's and 70's he used to make us laugh by telling us the many stories of his time in the camp. We couldn't believe they were true.

I first saw the film by accident on tv about 6 months after he died and it sent shivers down my spine as this was so close to what he had always spoken of.

The film might be based on the book "Guests of the State" by T. Ryle Dwyer. Haven't read it but it covers the same subject.