How did a small island with such a small population make such an impact on World History and events? That moulded the British Empire into what it is , that produced men who fought in every part of the globe and produced Fighting Regiments with qualities that were the envy of the world. A small island that produced famous Generals and Field Marshalls who moulded the foundations for the British Army of today. The fighting reputation of the Irish soldier has been known right back through history, and like their famous brave Scottish counterparts have often been referred to as ' Devils ' and ' Demons' by their foes. Queen Victoria created a Regiment of Foot Guards ( The Irish Guards ) to commemerate the bravery of Irish Soldiers during the Boer War. It is estimated that a third of the Duke of Marlborogh's men were Irish. Forty percent of Wellington's Army was made up of Irish, the same with the British Army in the Crimean War. In 1830 when the Irish represented only about one third of the United Kingdom population, more Irish than English were in the British Army. I once read that an Irish Soldier on Campaign without boots or shelter felt at home, compared to the misery of everyone else around him. If he had boots to wear, Food in his belly and shelter he was a ' King ' and if there was a fight at the end of it all you had better get out of his way!!
It is hard to think of an American or Western European military engagement of the last 300 years which has not had at least one Irishman present. They have fought for every King and Queen of England, France and Spain, soldiered under George Washington, Simon Bolivar, and the Duke of Wellington ( himself a Dubliner ), founded the navies of the USA ( John Barry ), Argentina ( William Brown ) and Austria (John Forbes ), they have come under fire at Fort Sumter, Balaclava, Waterloo, Gettysburg, The Alamo, The Little Bighorn, Mafeking, Jarama and filled the ranks of Lord Kitchener's New Army for the slaughter on the Somme ( Kitchener was also an Irishman ) Dunkirk, Anzio, Normandy, Korea and Vietnam. The list is endless. Few if any of them were forced, coerced or compelled to be in any of those dangerous, desease-ridden places. This Website will hopefully explain why they were such fearsome fighters, why in the face of despair when there was no hope, Irish humour and Comradship prevailed, where friends were brothers , where strangers were instantly turned into Irishmen...all were equal.
This website about the fighting men of Ireland, their history and how they gave so much so that others could live in freedom. It is about their sacrifice, and the fine Irish Regiments they served in. It is indeed a proud thing to be " Irish "
famous irish regiments & irish military history
I was born in Ballina, Co Mayo, on the rugged West Coast of Ireland. My Great-Grandfather fought with the British Army and that Great Irish Regiment the Connaught Rangers in the Indian Mutiny, and my mother would tell me about a picture of him, of a handsome young gentleman, in khaki uniform with a handle bar moustache, which used to hang in her fathers house. My mother would tell me a story of how one day my Great Grandfather whilst serving in India, stopped at a river with other men to wash himself and his clothes, when an enemy patrol approached. He escaped capture and possible death by submerging himself in the river and breathing through water reeds until the patrol had passed by.. Private Ned Murtagh my Great Uncle on my fathers side joined the Leinsters on the 17th October 1902. He was stationed at Birr in County Offaly. He was discharged from the Leinsters on the 18th october 1915. Another relative was James Devers of the Connaught Rangers who took part in the Mutiny in India. His father , John Devers, my Great Grandfathers brother was in the Sligo Artillery and Connaught Rangers. My Great Uncle John Jo Devers served in the 3rd Battalion the Connaught Rangers then won the MM with the 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry during WW1. He also served in the 2nd Battalion H.L.I. My Great Uncle Jimmy Devers (John Jo's Brother) was in the Irish Free State Army. My second cousin Paddy saw active service with the Royal Ulster Rifles, and was at Dunkirk. My Other second cousin Fred (Paddy's step brother) was with the 9th Australian Infantry Division in New Guinea during WW2 .Then there was my cousin Kevin who served with the Irish Army and the United Nations in a place called the Congo, where stories of shrunken heads prevailed . And lastly my cousin John, who still serves in the Irish Army and saw active service in the Lebonan, for many years. There are probably more that i am not even aware of. Every Irish family can tell a similar story and that is why it is so important to keep the memory and exploits of these famous Irish Regiments, and the brave men who served in them past and present alive.
Best Wishes Steve ( Mad Paddy )
the stoutest men from hill, valley and town were pressing into the british army, and long columns of armed irishmen, singing ireland's latest love-song, 'it's a long way to tipperary', went swinging.....down to the quays to the ships waiting to bring them to a poppy mobbed grave in flanders.
....Sean O'casey, Drums Under the Windows, London 1945, pp 315
The Irish in India
" barrack room ballads "
shillin' a day
My name is O'kelly, I' ve heard the Revelly
From Birr to Bareilly, from Leeds to Lahore,
Hong-Kong and Peshawur,
Lucknow and Etawah
And fifty-five more all endin' in "pore"
Black Death and his quickness, the depth and the thickness,
Of sorrow and sickness I've known on my way,
But I'm old and I'm nervis,
I'm cast from the Service,
And all i desrve is a shillin' a day
Shillin' a Day
Bloomin' good pay -
Lucky to touch it , a shillin' a day !
Oh it drives me half crazy to think of the days I
Went slap for Ghazi , my sword at my side,
When we rode Hell - for - leather
Both squadrons together,
That didn't care whether, we lived or we died.
But it's no use desparin' , my wife must go charin'
An ' me commissairin ' the pay - bills to better,
So if me you be' old
In the wet and the cold,
By the Grand metropold, won't you give me a letter ?
Give ' im a letter -
' Cant do no better,
Late Troop - Sergeant - Major an ' - runs with a letter !
Think what ' e' s been,
Think what ' e' s seen,
Think of his pension an ' -
Gawd Save the Queen
Mad Paddy
( Chorus )
( Chorus )
Background picture. A ration party of the Royal Irish Rifles on the Somme
