Irish Army
Encyclopedia
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland
. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades. Since 1958 the Irish Army has had a continuous presence in peacekeeping
missions around the world as well as its maintaining its primary roles of defending the State and internal security within the State. The Irish Army also participates in the European Union Battlegroups. The Air Corps
and Naval Service
support the Army in carrying out its roles.
founded in 1913. The Volunteers later became known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA)
, the guerilla organisation that fought the Irish War of Independence
. In February 1922, the Provisional Government
began to recruit volunteers into the new "National Army
".
The Provisional Government was set up on 16 January 1922 to transfer power from the British regime to the Irish Free State
. On 31 January 1922, the first unit of the new Irish National Army
, a former IRA unit the Dublin Guard
took over Beggars Bush Barracks
- the first British barracks to be handed to the new Irish Free State. Michael Collins
envisaged the new Army being built around the IRA but over half of this organisation rejected the compromise of the Treaty in favour of upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic
of 1919-1921.
So from January 1922 until late June and the outbreak of the Irish Civil War
, there existed two antagonistic armed forces - the National Army (NA), built from a nucleus of Pro-Treaty IRA units - armed and paid by the Provisional Government, and the Anti-Treaty IRA
, who refused to accept the legitimacy of the new state. In July 1922 the Dáil authorised an establishment of 35,000 men but by May 1923 it had grown to 53,000. The NA lacked the expertiise necessary to train a force of that size, so that approx. 20 percent of its officers and 50 percent of its soldiers were Irish ex-servicemen of the British Army. These brought considerable combat experience to it.
The Irish title Óglaigh na hÉireann
, that had previously been used by both the Irish Volunteers and the IRA, is also the official title of the Irish Defence Forces.
The Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin party, in power in the Provisional Government, had won an election, legitimising its existence, in June. The British were applying increasing pressure on the Government to assert its control over the Anti-Treaty IRA
who had occupied the Four Courts
in Dublin and this garrison had kidnapped JJ O'Connell
, a Lieutenant-general in the National Army
.
In the early weeks of the Irish Civil War, the newly formed National Army, was mainly composed of pro-Treaty IRA units, especially the "Dublin Guard
", whose members had personal ties to Michael Collins
.
Its size was estimated at about 7,000 men, compared to about 15,000 anti-Treaty IRA men. However, the Free State soon recruited far more troops, the army's size mushrooming to 55,000 men and 3,500 officers by the end of the Civil War in May 1923. Many of its recruits were war-hardened Irishmen who had served in the British Army during the First World War. W.R.E. Murphy
, a second in command of the Army in the civil war (from January–May 1923) had been a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, as had Emmet Dalton
. Indeed, the Free State recruited experienced soldiers from wherever it could. Two more of its senior generals in the Civil War had served in the United States Army
- John T. Prout
and J.J. "Ginger" O'Connell.
The British government supplied the new army with uniforms, small arms, ammunition, artillery and armoured units, which enabled it to bring the Civil War to a relatively speedy conclusion. Dublin was taken from Anti Treaty IRA units (or "Irregulars") after a week and a half of street fighting in July 1922. The Anti-Treaty IRA were also dislodged from Limerick
and Waterford
in that month and Cork
and county Kerry
were secured after seaborne landings in August.
The remainder of the war was a counter-insurgency campaign
against Anti-Treaty guerrillas - concentrated particularly in the south and west. National Army units, especially the Dublin Guard
, were implicated in a series of multiple atrocities
against captured Anti-Treaty fighters. The National Army suffered about 800 fatalities in the Civil War, including its commander in chief, Michael Collins
. Collins was succeeded by Richard Mulcahy
.
In April 1923, the Anti-Treaty IRA called a ceasefire and ordered their fighters to "dump arms" in May - effectively ending the war.
Following the Irish Civil War
, the National Army had grown too big for a peacetime role and was too expensive for the new Irish state to maintain. In addition, many of the civil war recruits were badly trained and undisciplined -making them unsuitable material for a full time professional army.
Richard Mulcahy
, the new Irish Defence Minister, had to reduce the army to about 20,000 men in the immediate post Civil War period. This nearly provoked a mutiny
among National Army officers in 1923-24, particularly among former IRA officers, who perceived that former British Army
officers were treated better than they were.
On 3 August 1923, the new State passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, putting the existing armed forces on a legal footing. An Act to make Temporary Provisions in relation to the Defence of Sáorstat Éireann was passed on 3 August 1923. This Act raised "an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann (hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas
." The date of the establishment of the Defence Forces was 1 October 1924.
The Army had a new establishment, organisation, rank markings, head dress and orders of dress. The National Army's Air Service became the Air Corps
and remained part of the Army until the 1990s. An all Irish language
speaking unit was created - An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe (English: The First Infantry Battalion) was established in Galway, and functioned exclusively through the medium of the state's first official language.
However despite the Irish neutral stance the Irish Army was greatly expanded during the war. In fact the Irish Army grew from about 10,000 men up to about 40,000 by the end of the war (with more recruited to reserve forces). By early 1941, this comprised an all-volunteer force of two infantry divisions and two independent brigade, as well as coastal artillery and garrison units. This expansion was enforced in order to ward off potential invasions from either the Allied or Axis powers (Both of whom had actually drawn up contingency plans to invade Ireland
).
In 1939, the remnants of the IRA stole
a large quantity of the Irish Army's reserve ammunition from its dump at the Magazine Fort in Dublin's Phoenix Park
. While this was seen as an embarrassment for the Irish Army, most of it was recovered.
Moreover, as the War went on, more and newer equipment was purchased from Britain
and the United States
. For the duration of the war, Ireland, while formally neutral, tacitly supported the Allies in several ways. German military personnel were interned in the Curragh
along with the belligerent powers' servicemen, whereas Allied airmen and sailors who crashed in Ireland were very often repatriated, usually by secretly moving them across the border to Northern Ireland
.
G2
, the Irish Army's intelligence section, played a vital role in the detection and arrest of German spies, such as Hermann Görtz
. From 1942 G2 was headed by Colonel Dan Bryan.
in 1955, the Irish Army has been deployed on many peacekeeping
missions. The first of these missions took place in 1958, when a small number of observers were sent to Lebanon
. A total of 86 Irish soldiers have died in the service of the United Nations since 1960.
as part of the UN force ONUC. The Belgian Congo became an independent Republic on 30 June 1960. Twelve days later, the Congolese government requested military assistance from the United Nations to maintain its territorial integrity. On the 28th July 1960 Lt-Col Murt Buckley led the 32nd Irish Battalion to the newly independent central African country. This was the most costly enterprise for the Irish Army since the Irish Civil War
, as 26 Irish soldiers lost their lives. Nine died in a single incident called the "Niemba Ambush
", in which a small party of soldiers was almost totally wiped out. A "Niemba Ambush commemoration" is hosted annually by the Irish Veterans Organisation (ONET)
in Cathal Brugha Barracks
, on the nearest Saturday to the actual date of the ambush. One of the largest ONUC engagements in which Irish troops were involved, was the Siege of Jadotville
. During this action, a small party of 150 Irish soldiers was attacked by a larger force of almost 4,000 Katangese
troops, as well as French, Belgian and Rhodesian mercenaries, and supported by a trainer jet. The Irish soldiers repeatedly repelled the attackers, and knocked-out enemy artillery and mortar positions using 60mm mortars. An attempt was made by 500 Irish and Swedish soldiers to break through to the besieged company, but it failed. The Irish commander eventually surrendered his forces. 5 to 7 Irish soldiers were wounded, but none were killed. It is estimated that up to 300 of their attackers were killed, including 30 white mercenaries, and up to 1,000 wounded. A total of 6,000 Irishmen served in the Congo from 1960 until 1964.
(UNFICYP). Over 9,000 Irish personnel have served there to date, without suffering casualties.
In 1973, an infantry group and some logistical troops were pulled out of Cyprus at short notice to serve in the Sinai desert between Egypt
and Israel
as part of the UN force that supervised the ceasefire that ended the Yom Kippur War
.
From 1976 to 1981, UNFICYP was commanded by an Irish officer, Major-General James Quinn
.
of Irish troops was deployed in southern Lebanon
, as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL. The Irish battalion consisted of 580 personnel which were rotated every six months, plus almost 100 others in UNIFIL headquarters and the Force Mobile Reserve. In all, 30,000 Irish soldiers served in Lebanon over 23 years.
The Irish troops in Lebanon were initially intended to supervise the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces
from the area after an invasion in 1978
and to prevent fighting between the Palestine Liberation Organization
forces and Israel
. Another Israeli invasion
in 1982 forced the PLO out of southern Lebanon, and occupied the area. The following 18 years, up until 2000 saw prolonged guerilla warfare
between Israeli forces, their allies in the South Lebanon Army
and Hezbollah. UNIFIL was caught in the middle of this conflict. The Irish battalion's role consisted of manning checkpoints and observations posts and mounting patrols. A total of 47 soldiers were killed. In addition to peacekeeping, the Irish also provided humanitarian aid to the local population - for example aiding the orphanage at Tibnin. From 25 April 1995 to 9 May 1996, Brigadier General P. Redmond served as Deputy Force Commander of UNIFIL during a period that coincided with the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath
offensive in 1996.
Most Irish troops were withdrawn from Lebanon in 2001, following the Israeli evacuation of their forces the previous year. However 11 Irish troops remained there as observers. They were present during the 2006 Lebanon War. After this conflict, UNIFIL was reinforced and a mechanised infantry company of 165 Irish troops was deployed to southern Lebanon. Their role there was to provide perimeter protection for a Finnish Army
engineering unit. After 12 months, the 1st Finnish/Irish Battalion ceased operations and was stood down from duty after having completed its mandate with UNIFIL. A small number of Irish personnel remain in service at UNIFIL HQ in Southern Lebanon.
and Iran
to supervise the withdrawal of both side's troops back to within their respective borders after the end of the Iran–Iraq War. The Irish provided 177 of the 400 UNIIMOG personnel involved with the mission. The mission came to an end in 1991, when Iran and Iraq completed the withdrawal of their troops. A small number of Irish observers were also stationed in Kuwait
since from 1991 to 2002 as part of UNIKOM.
, as part of UNOSOM II
peace-enforcing mission. In December 2001, 221 Irish soldiers were also sent to Eritrea
as part of UNMEE, and were tasked with the defence of the UN headquarters there.
unit and some other troops were deployed to Bosnia
as part of SFOR
(1995–2005) and EUFOR (December 2005 to present). The MP company was based in SFOR HQ in Sarajevo and policed the 8,000 SFOR troops based in the area. From 1999 until 2010, a Company of Irish troops were stationed in Kosovo
as part of KFOR.
as part of the UNAMET observer group (Timorese Independence Referendum). Later in the year, a platoon of Rangers (1 Ircon) were sent as part of the INTERFET
peacekeeping force. The Irish Army Rangers
(the Army's special forces
unit) were deployed in East Timor
alongside the Australian SASR
for a 4 month tour. This marked the second time that the Irish Army's elite force were officially deployed operationally outside of the state, the first being to Somalia
in 1993. INTERFET handed over to UNTAET during 2 Ircon's tour in 2000. The third contingent to Timor (3 Ircon) marked a new departure for the Defence Forces, as all the infantry sections were drawn from the 2nd Infantry Battalion. Late 2000 saw the 12th Infantry supply 4 Ircon. Nine contingents in total were deployed including the 4 Infantry Battalion, 5 Infantry Battalion, 28 Infantry Battalion, 1 Cathlan Coisithe, and finally the 6 Infantry Battalion under UNMISET.
as part of UNMIL. The Liberian mission was the largest Irish overseas deployment since Lebanon and consisted of a single composite battalion. The UN force, UNMIL, was 15,000 strong and was charged with stabilising the country after the Second Liberian Civil War
. The Irish troops were based in Camp Clara, near Monrovia
and were tasked with acting as the Force Commander's "Quick Reaction Force" (QRF) in the Monrovia area. This meant the securing of key locations, conducting searches for illegally held weapons, patrolling and manning checkpoints on the main roads and providing security to civilians under threat of violence. The Irish deployment to Liberia was due to end in November 2006. However, at that time the deployment was extended for a further 6 months to May 2007. During the UNMIL deployment, a detachment of Irish Army Rangers
successfully rescued a group of civilians being held hostage by renegade Liberian gunmen. Acting on intelligence, twenty heavily armed Rangers were dropped by helicopter, rescuing the hostages and capturing the rebel leader. In all the following battalions were involved in 2,745 cumulative missions under UNMIL:
effort as part of EUFOR Chad/CAR. As of 2008 500 troops had been deployed - 54 of whom were Irish Army Rangers
. In announcing the mission, the Minister for Defence
recognised the regional nature of the crisis, involving instability in Darfur
, Chad
and the Central African Republic
. In accordance with their terms of reference, the deployment of Irish forces was confined to Chad. Ireland contributed the second largest contingent of soldiers to EUFOR Chad/CAR, after France
, as part of the mission to establish peace in Chad and to protect refugees from neighbouring Darfur. The Irish soldiers conducted operations concerned with the delivery of humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, and ensuring the safety of UN personnel. There were a number of deployments to the mission, rotating every four months, with the final contingent completing their tour in May 2010:
(Irish Police) along the border with Northern Ireland
during the conflict there known as the Troubles (1969–1998). In the early 1970s, it was suggested that the Irish Army might cross the Border to protect the nationalist
community within Northern Ireland
. However this was never acted upon, although units were moved to the Border in 1969-70, during the Battle of the Bogside
, in order to provide medical support to those wounded in the fighting. The Army provides 24 hour armed security at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison
and also armed escort for the Prison Service transporting Ireland's most dangerous criminals. The Army's largest aid to the civil power role is its cash-in-transit
escorts, with over 2000 missions carried out every year. All large shipments of cash within the State are provided with armed military escorts.
& UNMIK), Bosnia Herzegovina (EUFOR BiH
), Western Sahara (MINURSO), Congo (MONUC), Afghanistan (ISAF
), Chad (MINURCAT), Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Lebanon (UNIFIL) Haiti (UNDAC) and the Middle East (UNTSO).
The largest deployments include:
Recruit training includes foot drill, arms drill, field-craft, medical, radio operation, rifle marksmanship, unarmed combat, tactical and daily physical training (PT) etc. During this stage of training they are also given weapons training on the Steyr Rifle
, General Purpose Machine Gun
and grenade.
On completion of recruit training, soldiers become 2 Star Privates and immediately begin 3 Star training. This includes more advanced training of everything covered by recruit training plus riot training, navigation, CBRN
, helicopter drills, survival, FIBUA, live fire tactical training, etc. They are also receive further weapons training on the M203 Grenade Launcher
and Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon
.
Throughout their service, soldiers must complete courses to advance their skills and for promotion.
brigades, each responsible for a geographical area of the country:
There are also several units located at the DFTC that are not part of the brigade structure:
The operational units fall under the direct command of the Defence Force HQ, and may be deployed either in support of brigade units or separately on any operation.
Corps provides fire support as required by infantry or armoured elements. The Corps was founded in 1924 and today consists of two main branches: Field Artillery
and Air Defence. Between them, the two branches of the Corps provide several vital services;
Each brigade has a single regular field artillery regiment, supported by a reserve field artillery regiment, while the army's permanent air defence regiment is based at the Defence Force Training Centre, with reserve batteries stationed around the country.
The Engineer Corps (or An Cór Innealtoiri in Irish
) is the combat engineering
unit of the Irish Defence Forces
. The Engineer Corps is responsible for all military engineering matters within the Defence Forces. Engineering originated as a military function, and in today's army an Engineer has a most demanding role.
Enlisted and other ranks
Commissioned ranks
an nations and especially from Britain
. Generally all equipment is of NATO standard design. Ireland usually doesn't produce its own armaments and has a very limited arms industry (almost non-existent).
In the beginning, the Army used the British Lee-Enfield
Rifle, which would be the mainstay for many decades after independence. In the 1960s some modernisation came with the introduction of the Belgian-made FN FAL
7.62 mm assault rifle.
Currently the standard weapon for an Irish Army soldier is the Austrian made Steyr AUG
5.56 mm assault rifle (used in the other branches of the Defence Forces). The Steyr began to replace the older FAL in 1988, although some of the Reserve Force continued to use the FAL until 2002.
Other weapons in use by the Irish Army are the USP
, FN MAG
, .5 M2 Browning machine gun, SRAAW AT4
, FGM-148 Javelin
Anti-tank guided missile, L118 105mm Howitzer, RBS 70
and RBS 90 Surface to Air Missile system.
The Irish Army has historically preferred Light vehicles to the heavy armour types used by other European nations, and this preference continues today. The Army has purchased 80 Swiss made Mowag Piranha
Armoured personnel carrier
s which have become the Army's primary vehicle in the Mechanized infantry
role. These are equipped with 12.7 mm HMG
s, or the Oto Melara
30 mm Autocannon
. The army also has 27 RG Outrider
light tactical armoured vehicles. The Irish Army's only tank is the FV101 Scorpion
light tank, with a 76.2 mm main gun. Other vehicles include the Panhard AML
(with 90 mm gun).
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades. Since 1958 the Irish Army has had a continuous presence in peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
missions around the world as well as its maintaining its primary roles of defending the State and internal security within the State. The Irish Army also participates in the European Union Battlegroups. The Air Corps
Irish Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
and Naval Service
Irish Naval Service
The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
support the Army in carrying out its roles.
Roles of the Irish Army
The roles of the Irish Army are:- To defend the State against armed aggression.
- To give aid to the civil power (ATCP). This means that the Irish Army assist, when requested, the Garda SíochánaGarda Síochána, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
, who have primary responsibility for law and order in IrelandRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. - To participate in multinational peace support, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Peace Keeping Missions, and EUFOR (UN sanctions Peace keeping Missions only). - To carry out other duties which may be assigned to them from time to time. For example, assistance on the occasion of natural disasters, assistance in connection with the maintenance of essential services, etc.
Beginning of the Irish Army
The Defence Forces, including the Army, trace their origins to the Irish VolunteersIrish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
founded in 1913. The Volunteers later became known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
, the guerilla organisation that fought the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. In February 1922, the Provisional Government
Provisional Government of Southern Ireland
The provisional Government of Southern Ireland was the provisional government for the administration of Southern Ireland between 16 January 1922 and 6 December 1922. The government was effectively a transitional administration for the period between the ratifying of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the...
began to recruit volunteers into the new "National Army
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
".
The Provisional Government was set up on 16 January 1922 to transfer power from the British regime to the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
. On 31 January 1922, the first unit of the new Irish National Army
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
, a former IRA unit the Dublin Guard
Dublin Guard
The Dublin Guard was a unit of the Irish Republican Army, in the Irish War of Independence and then of the Irish National Army during the Irish Civil War 1922-23.-Foundation:...
took over Beggars Bush Barracks
Beggars Bush (Dublin)
Beggars Bush is the name of a former barracks on Haddington Road in Dublin, Ireland, as well the surrounding area and a nearby pub.The barracks dates from 1827 and is bordered to the east by Shelbourne Road, which used to be the western bank of the River Dodder.-History:The British Army used the...
- the first British barracks to be handed to the new Irish Free State. Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
envisaged the new Army being built around the IRA but over half of this organisation rejected the compromise of the Treaty in favour of upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
of 1919-1921.
So from January 1922 until late June and the outbreak of the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, there existed two antagonistic armed forces - the National Army (NA), built from a nucleus of Pro-Treaty IRA units - armed and paid by the Provisional Government, and the Anti-Treaty IRA
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
, who refused to accept the legitimacy of the new state. In July 1922 the Dáil authorised an establishment of 35,000 men but by May 1923 it had grown to 53,000. The NA lacked the expertiise necessary to train a force of that size, so that approx. 20 percent of its officers and 50 percent of its soldiers were Irish ex-servicemen of the British Army. These brought considerable combat experience to it.
The Irish title Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann , abbreviated ÓnaÉ, is an Irish language idiom that can be translated variously as soldiers of Ireland, warriors of Ireland, volunteers of Ireland or Irish volunteers...
, that had previously been used by both the Irish Volunteers and the IRA, is also the official title of the Irish Defence Forces.
Civil War period
The Irish Civil War broke out on June 28, 1922.The Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin party, in power in the Provisional Government, had won an election, legitimising its existence, in June. The British were applying increasing pressure on the Government to assert its control over the Anti-Treaty IRA
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
who had occupied the Four Courts
Four Courts
The Four Courts in Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's main courts building. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. The building until 2010 also formerly was the location for the Central Criminal Court.-Gandon's Building:Work based on...
in Dublin and this garrison had kidnapped JJ O'Connell
JJ "Ginger" O'Connell
JJ Ginger O'Connell was a Lieutenant General in the Irish Defence Forces.Born in county Mayo and educated at University College Dublin, he spent the years 1912-1914 in the United States Army....
, a Lieutenant-general in the National Army
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
.
In the early weeks of the Irish Civil War, the newly formed National Army, was mainly composed of pro-Treaty IRA units, especially the "Dublin Guard
Dublin Guard
The Dublin Guard was a unit of the Irish Republican Army, in the Irish War of Independence and then of the Irish National Army during the Irish Civil War 1922-23.-Foundation:...
", whose members had personal ties to Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
.
Its size was estimated at about 7,000 men, compared to about 15,000 anti-Treaty IRA men. However, the Free State soon recruited far more troops, the army's size mushrooming to 55,000 men and 3,500 officers by the end of the Civil War in May 1923. Many of its recruits were war-hardened Irishmen who had served in the British Army during the First World War. W.R.E. Murphy
W.R.E. Murphy
William Richard English Murphy known as W.R.E. Murphy was an Irish soldier and policeman. He served as an officer with the British Army in the First World War and later in the Irish Army in the Irish Civil War. In the Civil War he was second in overall command of the National Army from January to...
, a second in command of the Army in the civil war (from January–May 1923) had been a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, as had Emmet Dalton
Emmet Dalton
Emmet Dalton was an Irish soldier and film producer. He served in the British Army in the First World War, reaching the rank of Major. However, on his return to Ireland he became one of the senior figures in the Dublin Brigade of the guerrilla Irish Republican Army which fought against British...
. Indeed, the Free State recruited experienced soldiers from wherever it could. Two more of its senior generals in the Civil War had served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
- John T. Prout
John T. Prout
John T. Prout was an Irish American soldier. He held one of the senior commands in the Irish Army during the Irish Civil War...
and J.J. "Ginger" O'Connell.
The British government supplied the new army with uniforms, small arms, ammunition, artillery and armoured units, which enabled it to bring the Civil War to a relatively speedy conclusion. Dublin was taken from Anti Treaty IRA units (or "Irregulars") after a week and a half of street fighting in July 1922. The Anti-Treaty IRA were also dislodged from Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
in that month and Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and county Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
were secured after seaborne landings in August.
The remainder of the war was a counter-insurgency campaign
Guerrilla Phase of the Irish Civil War
The Guerrilla Phase of the Irish Civil War began in August 1922, when the forces of the Irish Free State took all the fixed positions previously held by the Anti-Treaty or Republican forces....
against Anti-Treaty guerrillas - concentrated particularly in the south and west. National Army units, especially the Dublin Guard
Dublin Guard
The Dublin Guard was a unit of the Irish Republican Army, in the Irish War of Independence and then of the Irish National Army during the Irish Civil War 1922-23.-Foundation:...
, were implicated in a series of multiple atrocities
Executions during the Irish Civil War
The executions during the Irish Civil War took place during the guerrilla phase of the Irish Civil War . This phase of the war was bitter, and both sides, the government forces of the Irish Free State and the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army insurgents, used executions and terror in what...
against captured Anti-Treaty fighters. The National Army suffered about 800 fatalities in the Civil War, including its commander in chief, Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
. Collins was succeeded by Richard Mulcahy
Richard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
.
In April 1923, the Anti-Treaty IRA called a ceasefire and ordered their fighters to "dump arms" in May - effectively ending the war.
Irish Free State
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, the National Army had grown too big for a peacetime role and was too expensive for the new Irish state to maintain. In addition, many of the civil war recruits were badly trained and undisciplined -making them unsuitable material for a full time professional army.
Richard Mulcahy
Richard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
, the new Irish Defence Minister, had to reduce the army to about 20,000 men in the immediate post Civil War period. This nearly provoked a mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
among National Army officers in 1923-24, particularly among former IRA officers, who perceived that former British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officers were treated better than they were.
On 3 August 1923, the new State passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, putting the existing armed forces on a legal footing. An Act to make Temporary Provisions in relation to the Defence of Sáorstat Éireann was passed on 3 August 1923. This Act raised "an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann (hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
." The date of the establishment of the Defence Forces was 1 October 1924.
The Army had a new establishment, organisation, rank markings, head dress and orders of dress. The National Army's Air Service became the Air Corps
Irish Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
and remained part of the Army until the 1990s. An all Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
speaking unit was created - An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe (English: The First Infantry Battalion) was established in Galway, and functioned exclusively through the medium of the state's first official language.
The Emergency
Ireland remained neutral for the Second World War, which was referred to as "The Emergency" by the Irish government.However despite the Irish neutral stance the Irish Army was greatly expanded during the war. In fact the Irish Army grew from about 10,000 men up to about 40,000 by the end of the war (with more recruited to reserve forces). By early 1941, this comprised an all-volunteer force of two infantry divisions and two independent brigade, as well as coastal artillery and garrison units. This expansion was enforced in order to ward off potential invasions from either the Allied or Axis powers (Both of whom had actually drawn up contingency plans to invade Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
).
In 1939, the remnants of the IRA stole
Christmas Raid
The term Christmas Raid is a name used within the folklore of the Irish Republican Army to describe a raid in the Republic of Ireland against the Irish Army, and the theft of a huge quantity of weapons and munitions from an Irish Army ammunition Magazine Fort storage depot in Dublin's Phoenix...
a large quantity of the Irish Army's reserve ammunition from its dump at the Magazine Fort in Dublin's Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
. While this was seen as an embarrassment for the Irish Army, most of it was recovered.
Moreover, as the War went on, more and newer equipment was purchased from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. For the duration of the war, Ireland, while formally neutral, tacitly supported the Allies in several ways. German military personnel were interned in the Curragh
Curragh Camp
The Curragh Camp is an army base and military college located in The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland. It is the main training centre for the Irish Army.- Brief history of the Curragh's military heritage :...
along with the belligerent powers' servicemen, whereas Allied airmen and sailors who crashed in Ireland were very often repatriated, usually by secretly moving them across the border to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
G2
G2 (Republic of Ireland)
G2 or G-2 is the national intelligence agency of Ireland. It is the military intelligence branch of the Irish Defence Forces, and also helps protect Ireland's national security. G2 is used in several western and NATO forces to refer to the Intelligence and Security branch of the staff function...
, the Irish Army's intelligence section, played a vital role in the detection and arrest of German spies, such as Hermann Görtz
Hermann Görtz
Hermann Görtz was a German spy in Britain and Ireland before and during World War II.-First trip to Broadstairs:Hermann Görtz arrived in Britain on the 29 August 1935 with a secretary, Marianne Emig. They spent a few weeks in Suffolk and eventually moved to Broadstairs and rented a house...
. From 1942 G2 was headed by Colonel Dan Bryan.
Peacekeeping Missions
Since joining the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in 1955, the Irish Army has been deployed on many peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
missions. The first of these missions took place in 1958, when a small number of observers were sent to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. A total of 86 Irish soldiers have died in the service of the United Nations since 1960.
Congo
The first major overseas deployment came in 1960, when Irish troops were sent to the CongoDemocratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
as part of the UN force ONUC. The Belgian Congo became an independent Republic on 30 June 1960. Twelve days later, the Congolese government requested military assistance from the United Nations to maintain its territorial integrity. On the 28th July 1960 Lt-Col Murt Buckley led the 32nd Irish Battalion to the newly independent central African country. This was the most costly enterprise for the Irish Army since the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, as 26 Irish soldiers lost their lives. Nine died in a single incident called the "Niemba Ambush
Niemba
Niemba is a town in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Katanga Province. It is situated on the Lukuga River, a tributary of the Lualaba river. The population is around 1,800. It is connected by rail to Kalemie.-Niemba Ambush:...
", in which a small party of soldiers was almost totally wiped out. A "Niemba Ambush commemoration" is hosted annually by the Irish Veterans Organisation (ONET)
Veterans in Ireland
The Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women is a support organisation for ex-service personnel of the Irish Defence Services.The organisation commenced operations in approximately 1950 and was formed as an amalgam of a number of ex-servicemen’s organisations which had sprung up after...
in Cathal Brugha Barracks
Cathal Brugha Barracks
Cathal Brugha Barracks is an Irish Army barracks in Rathmines, Dublin. A key military base of the Irish Defence Forces, it is the headquarters of the Eastern Command, and houses the Military Archives of the Department of Defence.-History and name:...
, on the nearest Saturday to the actual date of the ambush. One of the largest ONUC engagements in which Irish troops were involved, was the Siege of Jadotville
Siege of Jadotville
The Siege of Jadotville took place in September 1961, during the United Nations intervention in the Katanga conflict in the Congo, central Africa, when a company of Irish UN troops was attacked by troops loyal to the Katangese Prime Minister Moise Tshombe...
. During this action, a small party of 150 Irish soldiers was attacked by a larger force of almost 4,000 Katangese
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
troops, as well as French, Belgian and Rhodesian mercenaries, and supported by a trainer jet. The Irish soldiers repeatedly repelled the attackers, and knocked-out enemy artillery and mortar positions using 60mm mortars. An attempt was made by 500 Irish and Swedish soldiers to break through to the besieged company, but it failed. The Irish commander eventually surrendered his forces. 5 to 7 Irish soldiers were wounded, but none were killed. It is estimated that up to 300 of their attackers were killed, including 30 white mercenaries, and up to 1,000 wounded. A total of 6,000 Irishmen served in the Congo from 1960 until 1964.
Cyprus and the Sinai
Starting in 1964, Irish troops have served as UN peacekeepers in CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
(UNFICYP). Over 9,000 Irish personnel have served there to date, without suffering casualties.
In 1973, an infantry group and some logistical troops were pulled out of Cyprus at short notice to serve in the Sinai desert between Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
as part of the UN force that supervised the ceasefire that ended the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
.
From 1976 to 1981, UNFICYP was commanded by an Irish officer, Major-General James Quinn
James J. Quinn
James J. Quinn was a Major General in the Irish Army, and recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal as Force Commander for UNFICYP forces....
.
Lebanon
From 1978 to 2001, a battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of Irish troops was deployed in southern Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL. The Irish battalion consisted of 580 personnel which were rotated every six months, plus almost 100 others in UNIFIL headquarters and the Force Mobile Reserve. In all, 30,000 Irish soldiers served in Lebanon over 23 years.
The Irish troops in Lebanon were initially intended to supervise the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
from the area after an invasion in 1978
Operation Litani
The 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river...
and to prevent fighting between the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
forces and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Another Israeli invasion
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
in 1982 forced the PLO out of southern Lebanon, and occupied the area. The following 18 years, up until 2000 saw prolonged guerilla warfare
1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict
The South Lebanon conflict refers to nearly 20 years of warfare between the Israel Defense Force and its Lebanese proxy militias and Lebanese Muslim guerrillas led by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah within what was defined by Israelis as the "Security Zone" in South Lebanon...
between Israeli forces, their allies in the South Lebanon Army
South Lebanon Army
The South Lebanon Army , also "South Lebanese Army," was a Lebanese militia during the Lebanese Civil War. After 1979, the militia operated in southern Lebanon under the authority of Saad Haddad's Government of Free Lebanon...
and Hezbollah. UNIFIL was caught in the middle of this conflict. The Irish battalion's role consisted of manning checkpoints and observations posts and mounting patrols. A total of 47 soldiers were killed. In addition to peacekeeping, the Irish also provided humanitarian aid to the local population - for example aiding the orphanage at Tibnin. From 25 April 1995 to 9 May 1996, Brigadier General P. Redmond served as Deputy Force Commander of UNIFIL during a period that coincided with the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath
Operation Grapes of Wrath
Operation Grapes of Wrath is the Israeli Defense Forces code-name for a sixteen-day campaign against Lebanon in 1996 in an attempt to end shelling of Northern Israel by Hezbollah. Israel conducted more than 1,100 air raids and extensive shelling...
offensive in 1996.
Most Irish troops were withdrawn from Lebanon in 2001, following the Israeli evacuation of their forces the previous year. However 11 Irish troops remained there as observers. They were present during the 2006 Lebanon War. After this conflict, UNIFIL was reinforced and a mechanised infantry company of 165 Irish troops was deployed to southern Lebanon. Their role there was to provide perimeter protection for a Finnish Army
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
engineering unit. After 12 months, the 1st Finnish/Irish Battalion ceased operations and was stood down from duty after having completed its mandate with UNIFIL. A small number of Irish personnel remain in service at UNIFIL HQ in Southern Lebanon.
Iran and Iraq
From August 1988 until May 1991, Irish soldiers were deployed, under the UN force UNIIMOG, on the border between IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
to supervise the withdrawal of both side's troops back to within their respective borders after the end of the Iran–Iraq War. The Irish provided 177 of the 400 UNIIMOG personnel involved with the mission. The mission came to an end in 1991, when Iran and Iraq completed the withdrawal of their troops. A small number of Irish observers were also stationed in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
since from 1991 to 2002 as part of UNIKOM.
Somalia and Eritrea
In 1993, 100 troops forming a transport company were deployed in SomaliaSomalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, as part of UNOSOM II
UNOSOM II
United Nations Operation in Somalia II was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia, from March 1993 until March 1995....
peace-enforcing mission. In December 2001, 221 Irish soldiers were also sent to Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
as part of UNMEE, and were tasked with the defence of the UN headquarters there.
Bosnia and Kosovo
In 1997 a military policeMilitary police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
unit and some other troops were deployed to Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
as part of SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
(1995–2005) and EUFOR (December 2005 to present). The MP company was based in SFOR HQ in Sarajevo and policed the 8,000 SFOR troops based in the area. From 1999 until 2010, a Company of Irish troops were stationed in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
as part of KFOR.
East Timor
In 1999, Irish Officers were sent to East TimorEast Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
as part of the UNAMET observer group (Timorese Independence Referendum). Later in the year, a platoon of Rangers (1 Ircon) were sent as part of the INTERFET
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
peacekeeping force. The Irish Army Rangers
Irish Army Rangers
The Army Ranger Wing is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, Delta Force, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Polish GROM, Swedish SSG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian SAS,...
(the Army's special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit) were deployed in East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
alongside the Australian SASR
Australian Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
for a 4 month tour. This marked the second time that the Irish Army's elite force were officially deployed operationally outside of the state, the first being to Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in 1993. INTERFET handed over to UNTAET during 2 Ircon's tour in 2000. The third contingent to Timor (3 Ircon) marked a new departure for the Defence Forces, as all the infantry sections were drawn from the 2nd Infantry Battalion. Late 2000 saw the 12th Infantry supply 4 Ircon. Nine contingents in total were deployed including the 4 Infantry Battalion, 5 Infantry Battalion, 28 Infantry Battalion, 1 Cathlan Coisithe, and finally the 6 Infantry Battalion under UNMISET.
Liberia
After November 2003, Irish troops were stationed in LiberiaLiberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
as part of UNMIL. The Liberian mission was the largest Irish overseas deployment since Lebanon and consisted of a single composite battalion. The UN force, UNMIL, was 15,000 strong and was charged with stabilising the country after the Second Liberian Civil War
Second Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and...
. The Irish troops were based in Camp Clara, near Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
and were tasked with acting as the Force Commander's "Quick Reaction Force" (QRF) in the Monrovia area. This meant the securing of key locations, conducting searches for illegally held weapons, patrolling and manning checkpoints on the main roads and providing security to civilians under threat of violence. The Irish deployment to Liberia was due to end in November 2006. However, at that time the deployment was extended for a further 6 months to May 2007. During the UNMIL deployment, a detachment of Irish Army Rangers
Irish Army Rangers
The Army Ranger Wing is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, Delta Force, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Polish GROM, Swedish SSG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian SAS,...
successfully rescued a group of civilians being held hostage by renegade Liberian gunmen. Acting on intelligence, twenty heavily armed Rangers were dropped by helicopter, rescuing the hostages and capturing the rebel leader. In all the following battalions were involved in 2,745 cumulative missions under UNMIL:
- 90th Infantry Battalion (4 Western Brigade) - Nov 2003-May 2004
- 91st Infantry Battalion (2 Eastern Brigade) - May 2004-Nov 2004
- 92nd Infantry Battalion (1 Southern Brigade) - Nov 2004-May 2005
- 93rd Infantry Battalion (4 Western Brigade) - May 2005-Nov 2005
- 94th Infantry Battalion (2 Eastern Brigade) - Nov 2005-May 2006
- 95th Infantry Battalion (1 Southern Brigade) - May 2006-Nov 2006
- 96th Infantry Battalion (4 Western Brigade) - Nov 2006-May 2007
Chad
In August 2007, the Irish government announced that 200 Irish soldiers would be sent to support the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
effort as part of EUFOR Chad/CAR. As of 2008 500 troops had been deployed - 54 of whom were Irish Army Rangers
Irish Army Rangers
The Army Ranger Wing is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, Delta Force, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Polish GROM, Swedish SSG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian SAS,...
. In announcing the mission, the Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Ireland)
The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside....
recognised the regional nature of the crisis, involving instability in Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
and the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
. In accordance with their terms of reference, the deployment of Irish forces was confined to Chad. Ireland contributed the second largest contingent of soldiers to EUFOR Chad/CAR, after France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, as part of the mission to establish peace in Chad and to protect refugees from neighbouring Darfur. The Irish soldiers conducted operations concerned with the delivery of humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, and ensuring the safety of UN personnel. There were a number of deployments to the mission, rotating every four months, with the final contingent completing their tour in May 2010:
- 97th Infantry Battalion - June 2008-Oct 2008
- 98th Infantry Battalion - Oct 2008-Jan 2009
- 99th Infantry Battalion - Jan 2009-May 2009
- 100th Infantry Battalion - May 2009-Oct 2009
- 101st Infantry Battalion - Oct 2009-Jan 2010
- 102nd Infantry Battalion - Jan 2010-May 2010
Border duties and aid to the civil power
At home, the Army was deployed to aid the GardaíGarda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
(Irish Police) along the border with Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during the conflict there known as the Troubles (1969–1998). In the early 1970s, it was suggested that the Irish Army might cross the Border to protect the nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
community within Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. However this was never acted upon, although units were moved to the Border in 1969-70, during the Battle of the Bogside
Battle of the Bogside
The Battle of the Bogside was a very large communal riot that took place during 12–14 August 1969 in Derry, Northern Ireland. The fighting was between residents of the Bogside area and the Royal Ulster Constabulary .The rioting erupted after the RUC attempted to disperse Irish nationalists who...
, in order to provide medical support to those wounded in the fighting. The Army provides 24 hour armed security at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison is the Republic of Ireland's only high security prison. It is located in Portlaoise, County Laois. It should not be confused with the Midlands Prison, which is a newer, medium security prison situated directly beside it....
and also armed escort for the Prison Service transporting Ireland's most dangerous criminals. The Army's largest aid to the civil power role is its cash-in-transit
Cash-in-transit
Cash-in-transit or Cash/valuables-in-transit are terms used to refer to the physical transfer of banknotes, coins and items of value from one location to another....
escorts, with over 2000 missions carried out every year. All large shipments of cash within the State are provided with armed military escorts.
Current deployments
Irish Army personnel are currently serving in Kosovo (KFORKFOR
The Kosovo Force is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo.KFOR entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999 under a United Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1244...
& UNMIK), Bosnia Herzegovina (EUFOR BiH
EUFOR Althea
European Union Force Althea is a military deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina to oversee the military implementation of the Dayton Agreement. It is the successor to NATO's SFOR and IFOR. The transition from SFOR to EUFOR was largely a change of name and commanders: 80% of the troops remained in...
), Western Sahara (MINURSO), Congo (MONUC), Afghanistan (ISAF
ISAF
ISAF may refer to:* International Sailing Federation, the world governing body for Olympic and other competitive sailing.* International Security Assistance Force, the NATO-led security mission operating in Afghanistan since 2001....
), Chad (MINURCAT), Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Lebanon (UNIFIL) Haiti (UNDAC) and the Middle East (UNTSO).
The largest deployments include:
- Bosnia (EUFOR AltheaEUFOR AltheaEuropean Union Force Althea is a military deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina to oversee the military implementation of the Dayton Agreement. It is the successor to NATO's SFOR and IFOR. The transition from SFOR to EUFOR was largely a change of name and commanders: 80% of the troops remained in...
) - MNTF (Finland) - Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel) (UNIFIL) Staff Officers, peace-keeping mission
Training
All enlisted members of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) undergo 16 weeks recruit training, after which they become a 2 Star Private. They then undergo a further 12 weeks of advanced training, after which they pass-out as a 3 Star Private, Trooper or Gunner depending on their respective Corps. During this continuous 28 weeks of training they are required to live in barracks. The Army recruits both men and women. Female recruits receive the same training alongside their male counterparts as there are no restrictions on the appointments open to females in the army.Recruit training includes foot drill, arms drill, field-craft, medical, radio operation, rifle marksmanship, unarmed combat, tactical and daily physical training (PT) etc. During this stage of training they are also given weapons training on the Steyr Rifle
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
, General Purpose Machine Gun
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
and grenade.
On completion of recruit training, soldiers become 2 Star Privates and immediately begin 3 Star training. This includes more advanced training of everything covered by recruit training plus riot training, navigation, CBRN
CBRN
CBRN is an initialism for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is used to refer to situations in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves. The term CBRN is a replacement for the cold war term NBC , which had replaced the term ABC that was used in the fifties...
, helicopter drills, survival, FIBUA, live fire tactical training, etc. They are also receive further weapons training on the M203 Grenade Launcher
M203 grenade launcher
The M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was...
and Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon
AT4
The AT4 is an 84-mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built in Sweden by Saab Bofors Dynamics...
.
Throughout their service, soldiers must complete courses to advance their skills and for promotion.
Composition
The Irish Army has an establishment of 8,500 personnel and consists of a single division sized element made up of three infantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
brigades, each responsible for a geographical area of the country:
1 Southern Brigade
|
2 Eastern Brigade
|
4 Western Brigade
|
Defence Forces Training Centre
In addition to the three brigades in the Irish Army, there is also the Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC). This element is responsible for providing professional training to the Irish Army through three separate colleges:- Military College
- Combat Support College (Cavalry/Engineering/Signal Schools)
- Combat Service Support College (Transport/Ordnance/Military Police/Medical/Admin/Catering (in Dublin) & Physical Fitness Schools)
There are also several units located at the DFTC that are not part of the brigade structure:
- Operational Units
- Army Ranger Wing (Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm)Irish Army RangersThe Army Ranger Wing is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, Delta Force, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Polish GROM, Swedish SSG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian SAS,...
- 1 Air Defence Regiment (AD)
- 1 Armoured Cavalry Squadron
- B Company, 3 Infantry Battalion
- Army Ranger Wing (Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm)
- Support Units
- Supply and Services Unit
- Defence Force Logistics Base
- DFTC Military Police Company
The operational units fall under the direct command of the Defence Force HQ, and may be deployed either in support of brigade units or separately on any operation.
Infantry Corps
The Infantry corps represent the largest component and are the operational troops of the Irish Army. They must be prepared for tactical deployment in any location at short notice. In wartime this means that they will be among the front line troops in the defence of the State. In peacetime they can be seen daily performing operational duties in Aid to the Civil Power such as providing escorts to cash, prisoner or explosive shipments, patrols of vital state installations and border patrols, including check points.Artillery Corps
The ArtilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
Corps provides fire support as required by infantry or armoured elements. The Corps was founded in 1924 and today consists of two main branches: Field Artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
and Air Defence. Between them, the two branches of the Corps provide several vital services;
- Fire support of Infantry or Armoured troops.
- Ground to low level air defence.
- Light field battery support to Irish overseas battalion.
- Aid to the civil power duties.
Each brigade has a single regular field artillery regiment, supported by a reserve field artillery regiment, while the army's permanent air defence regiment is based at the Defence Force Training Centre, with reserve batteries stationed around the country.
Cavalry Corps
The Cavalry Corps (In Irish an Cor Marcra) is the army's armoured formation.Engineer Corps
The Engineer Corps (or An Cór Innealtoiri in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
) is the combat engineering
Combat engineering
A combat engineer, also called pioneer or sapper in many armies, is a soldier who performs a variety of construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions...
unit of the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
. The Engineer Corps is responsible for all military engineering matters within the Defence Forces. Engineering originated as a military function, and in today's army an Engineer has a most demanding role.
Ordnance Corps
The responsibility for the procurement and maintenance of all ordnance equipment is vested in the Ordnance Corps and encompasses a spectrum of equipment ranging from anti-aircraft missiles and naval armament to the uniforms worn by military personnel. The corps is also responsible for the procurement of food and provision of commercial catering services. These tasks are of a technical nature and the corps personnel are appropriately qualified and with the expertise to afford technical evaluation of complete weapon systems, it also includes embracing weapons, ammunition, fire control instruments and night vision equipment. The Ordnance Corps provide the only Explosive Ordnance Disposal service within the state, in support of the Garda Siochana. The Corps must keep abreast of current developments in international terrorist devices and the equipment needed to counteract these devices. Courses are conducted for its own personnel and for students from the military and police of many other nations. Ordnance Corps personnel continue to serve in overseas missions and are an essential component of missions involving troops.Transport Corps
The Transport Corps is responsible for the procurement, management and maintenance of all soft skinned vehicles, and the maintenance of all armoured vehicles within the Defence Forces. It is also responsible for the driver training, testing, certification, maintenance of driving standards and provision of vehicle fuels, oils and lubricants. The Transport Corps provides heavy lift capability for the Defence Forces.Medical Corps
The Army Medical Corps has the responsibility of maintaining health and preventing disease in the Defence Forces and providing treatment of its sick and wounded. While these functions are of prime importance in time of war they also continue in peacetime. The Corps provides Dental as well as medical care for all personnel. The service provided includes surgery, physiotherapy and nursing. Their personnel have served in all the major UN missions providing medical and dental support. They also fill an important role in the provision of humanitarian assistance to the local civilian population giving medical aid in circumstances in which local medical services are unlikely to function adequately.Military Police Corps
The Military Police (Irish: Poilini Airm) are responsible for the prevention and investigation of offences, the enforcement of discipline and the general policing of the Defence Forces. In wartime, additional tasks include the provision of a traffic control organisation to allow rapid movement of military formations to their mission areas. Other wartime rules include control of prisoners of war and refugees. Traditionally, the Military Police have also had a considerable involvement at state and ceremonial occasions. In recent years the Military Police have been deployed in many UN missions (e.g. Iran /Iraq) and later in the former Yugoslavia (SFOR). They enjoy a very close working relationship with An Garda Síochána at national and local levels. The Gardaí assist in providing specialist police training to the Military Police in the field of crime investigation. Also known as the PAs in Irish Army slang (Poilini Airm).Communications
The CIS corps is a support corps responsible for installing, maintaining and operating telecommunications equipment and information systems.Rank structure
The rank structure of the Irish Army is organised along standard military rank and command structures. These consist of the following ranks:Enlisted and other ranks
Irish Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
-Other Rank Insignia:Commissioned Ranks...
- Recruit
- 2 Star Private
- 3 Star Private/Trooper/Gunner
- Corporal
- Sergeant
- Company/Battery Quartermaster Sergeant
- Company/Battery Sergeant
- Battalion/Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
- Battalion/Regimental Sergeant Major
Commissioned ranks
Irish Army Officer Rank Insignia
-Officer Ranks:-See also:*Enlisted Ranks...
- Junior Cadet
- Senior Cadet
- Second Lieutenant
- Lieutenant
- Captain
- Commandant
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Colonel
- Brigadier General
- Major General
- Lieutenant General
Weapons
The Irish Army has historically purchased and used weapons and equipment from other western countries, mainly from EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an nations and especially from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Generally all equipment is of NATO standard design. Ireland usually doesn't produce its own armaments and has a very limited arms industry (almost non-existent).
In the beginning, the Army used the British Lee-Enfield
Lee-Enfield
The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
Rifle, which would be the mainstay for many decades after independence. In the 1960s some modernisation came with the introduction of the Belgian-made FN FAL
FN FAL
The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...
7.62 mm assault rifle.
Currently the standard weapon for an Irish Army soldier is the Austrian made Steyr AUG
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
5.56 mm assault rifle (used in the other branches of the Defence Forces). The Steyr began to replace the older FAL in 1988, although some of the Reserve Force continued to use the FAL until 2002.
Other weapons in use by the Irish Army are the USP
Heckler & Koch USP
The USP is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.-History:...
, FN MAG
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
, .5 M2 Browning machine gun, SRAAW AT4
AT4
The AT4 is an 84-mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built in Sweden by Saab Bofors Dynamics...
, FGM-148 Javelin
FGM-148 Javelin
The FGM-148 Javelin is a United States-made man-portable third generation anti-tank missile fielded to replace the Dragon antitank missile.-Overview:Javelin is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance...
Anti-tank guided missile, L118 105mm Howitzer, RBS 70
RBS 70
RBS 70 is a man-portable air-defense system designed for anti-aircraft warfare in all climate zones and with little to no support from other forces. Originally designed and manufactured by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
and RBS 90 Surface to Air Missile system.
Vehicles
The Irish Army has historically preferred Light vehicles to the heavy armour types used by other European nations, and this preference continues today. The Army has purchased 80 Swiss made Mowag Piranha
Mowag Piranha
The MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG , corporation....
Armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
s which have become the Army's primary vehicle in the Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
role. These are equipped with 12.7 mm HMG
Heavy machine gun
The heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I...
s, or the Oto Melara
Oto Melara
Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
30 mm Autocannon
Autocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
. The army also has 27 RG Outrider
RG Outrider
The RG Outrider, also known by its original designation RG-32M Light Tactical Vehicle , is a 4x4 multi-purpose mine-protected armoured personnel carrier manufactured by BAE Systems of South Africa. It was first introduced in early 2009 as the RG-32M LTV, and was first purchased by Ireland...
light tactical armoured vehicles. The Irish Army's only tank is the FV101 Scorpion
FV101 Scorpion
The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , CVR, family of seven armoured vehicles...
light tank, with a 76.2 mm main gun. Other vehicles include the Panhard AML
Panhard AML
-Former Operators:: unknown number of AML-60s and AML-90s in service between 1960-1975.: 34 Eland 90s and Eland 60s in service with the Rhodesian Security Forces in 1979, passed on to successor state.-Trivia:...
(with 90 mm gun).
See also
- Modern weapons of the Irish ArmyModern weapons of the Irish ArmyThis is a list of some of the modern weapons of the Irish Army.- Infantry weaponry :* Steyr AUG...
- Modern vehicles of the Irish ArmyModern vehicles of the Irish ArmyThis is a partial list of the modern vehicles of the Irish Army .-Defence Forces land vehicles:-UAV:- Defence Forces aircraft :...
- Modern Irish Army UniformModern Irish Army uniformThe modern Irish Army uniform is based on the layer principle and is designed to provide the soldier with the right degree of protection for any operational environment.-Field dress:An Irish army uniform consists of the following:...
- Irish Defence Forces cap badgeIrish Defence Forces cap badgeThe Irish Defence Forces Cap Badge is – in distinction to the practice in British, Commonwealth, and many other militaries around the world – common to all services and corps...
- Irish Defence ForcesIrish Defence ForcesThe armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
- Armoured Fighting Vehicles of the Irish ArmyArmoured Fighting Vehicles of the Irish ArmyThroughout its history, the Irish Army has used a number of armoured fighting vehicles.-Rolls-Royce armoured car:During the Irish Civil War thirteen Rolls-Royce armoured cars armed with Vickers .303 machine guns. were handed over to the Irish National Army by the British government...
- Reserve Defence ForcesReserve Defence ForcesThe Reserve Defence Forces is the title given to the reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces. It comprises the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve ....
- Communications and Information Services Corps
- Irish Army deafness claims
- RACORACORACO is an acronym for the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers . RACO was formally established in 1991 by statute under the Defence Amendment Act...
- General Michael Joe CostelloMichael Joe CostelloMichael Joseph Costello was an Irish military leader.-Biography:Costello was born on 4 July 1904 in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary. His godfather was Thomas MacDonagh, who signed the Proclamation of the Irish Republic in 1916...
- Colonel Daniel Bryan
- Colonel James Fitzmaurice (pilot)James Fitzmaurice (pilot)James Fitzmaurice DFC was an Irish aviation pioneer. He was a member of the crew of the Bremen, which made the first successful Trans-Atlantic aircraft flight from East to West on 12–13 April 1928.-Early life:...
- Armourer
External links
- Irish Army Home Page
- Unofficial (Irish Army Reserve 62 Infantry Battalion)
- UNIFIL site with Pictures & Stories from Irelands Involvement with UNIFIL.