Irish military diaspora
The Irish military diaspora refers to the many people of either Irish birth or extraction (see Irish diaspora) who have served in overseas military forces, regardless of rank, duration of service, or success.
Many overseas military units were primarily made up of Irishmen (or members of the Irish military diaspora) and had the word 'Irish', an Irish place name or an Irish person in the unit's name. 'Irish' named military units took part in numerous conflicts throughout world history.[1][2][3] The first military unit of this kind was in the Spanish Netherlands during the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch. A notable example is that of Owen Roe O'Neill.
Contents
Austria and Austria-Hungary
- Major Peter Martyn
- Franz Moritz Graf von Lacy
- Andreas Graf O'Reilly von Ballinlough
- Maximilian Ulysses Graf von Browne
- Laval Graf Nugent von Westmeath
- Maximilian Graf O'Donnell von Tyrconnell
- Gottfried Freiherr von Banfield
Britain
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A significant number of Irish people, of all backgrounds, have served in the forces of the British Crown over the centuries. By the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, well over one-third of the military forces of the British Army consisted of Irishmen[citation needed]), because of:-
- the Kingdom of Ireland was in a personal union with England (and later Great Britain) until 1801
- Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1801 to 1922[citation needed]
- the traditions of the nobility and landed gentry, which caused them to prefer military service to a career in trade (see: Noblesse oblige)
- economic necessity
- ambition
- family tradition
- loyalty
- Ireland had a larger population compared to today. In 1800, Ireland's population was eight million, not far below the population of England at ten million, a ratio of 1:1.25. By 1900 this ratio had fallen to 1:12.[4] The immediately pre- and post-1900 enlistment was proportionately very high, even though the absolute numbers seem low.
Irishmen with notable or outstanding overseas careers included:-
Others were not born in Ireland, but were born into Irish families, such as:-
Victoria Cross recipients:-
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The Victoria Cross, the British Crown's highest award for military valour, has been awarded to 188 persons who were born in Ireland or had full Irish parentage. Of these thirty were awarded in the Crimean War, 52 in the Indian Mutiny, and 46 in numerous other British Empire campaigns between 1857 and 1914. In the 20th century, 37 Irish VCs were awarded in the First World War, ten in the Second World War. One has been awarded in Afghanistan in the 21st century to a Belfast-born soldier of the Parachute Regiment.
'Irish' named units of the British Army
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'Irish' named 1922 disbanded units of the British Army
Following the establishment of the independent Irish Free State in 1922, the six regiments that had their traditional recruiting grounds in the counties of the new state were all disbanded.[6] On 12 June, five regimental Colours were laid up in a ceremony at St George's Hall, Windsor Castle in the presence of HM King George V.[7] (The South Irish Horse had sent a Regimental engraving because the regiment chose to have its standard remain in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin). The six regiments finally disbanded on 31 July 1922 were:
- Royal Irish Regiment, disbanded 1922
- Connaught Rangers, disbanded 1922
- Leinster Regiment, disbanded 1922
- Royal Munster Fusiliers, disbanded 1922
- Royal Dublin Fusiliers, disbanded 1922
- South Irish Horse, disbanded 1922
Canada
The Irish Regiment of Canada in the Second World War was the only Canadian Irish unit to fight in any war. It also perpetuates the active service of the 1st Canadian Machine Gun Battalion from the First World War and the indirect service of the 190th (Sportsmen) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and the 208th (Canadian Irish) Battalion, CEF. Served as 1915 110th Irish Regiment; 1920 – The Irish Regiment; 1932 – The Irish Regiment of Canada; 1936 – The Irish Regiment of Canada (MG); 1940 – The Irish Regiment of Canada.
The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (Vancouver Regiment) perpetuated the First World War active service of the 29th (Vancouver) Battalion, CEF plus the indirect service of the 121st (Western Irish) Battalion, CEF and the 158th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion, CEF. Served as 1913 – 11th Regiment, Irish Fusiliers of Canada; 1920 – The Irish Fusiliers of Canada; 1936 – The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (Vancouver Regiment); 1946 – 65th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Irish Fusiliers); 1958 – The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (Vancouver Regiment); 1965 – placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle; 2002 – amalgamated with The British Columbia Regiment.
The Irish Canadian Rangers perpetuated the indirect service of the 199th Battalion Duchess of Connaught's Own Irish Rangers, CEF. Served as 1914 – 55th Irish Canadian Rangers; 1920 – The Irish Canadian Rangers; 1936 – disbanded.
The 218th (Edmonton Irish Guards) Battalion, CEF lacks perpetuation. The colonel had Irish ancestry, but the largest group of its men were recent eastern European immigrants from the fringes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire who spoke Ukrainian but would have had Austrian citizenship. This combined with the 211th (Alberta Americans) Battalion, CEF, to form the 8th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, which served in France building and maintaining railroads.
'Irish' named units of the Canadian Army
- The Irish Canadian Rangers
- The Irish Fusiliers of Canada
- The Irish Regiment of Canada
- 121st (Western Irish) Battalion, CEF
- 199th (Duchess of Connaught's Own Irish Rangers) Battalion, CEF
- 208th (Canadian Irish) Battalion, CEF
- 218th (Edmonton Irish Guards) Battalion, CEF
France
Notable Irishmen who served in the French military include
- Patrice de Mac-Mahon, Duke of Magenta – General and President of the Third Republic
- Thomas Arthur, comte de Lally – General, commander in chief of the French Armies in India
- Arthur Dillon – General
- Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke – Marshal of France
- Henri D'Alton – General
- Jacques Lauriston – General – Jacques Law, Marquis of Lauriston
- Charles Edward Jennings de Kilmaine
- Edward Stack – General
'Irish' named units of the French Army
- Irish Brigade
- Régiment de Albemarle (1698–1703) (renamed Régiment de Fitzgerald)
- Régiment de Athlone
- Régiment de Berwick (1698–1775) (to Régiment de Clare)
- 2nd Battalion (1703–1715) (to 1st Battalion and Régiment de Roth)
- Régiment de Botagh
- Régiment de Bourke (1698–1715) (renamed Régiment de Wauchop)
- Régiment de Bulkeley
- Régiment de Butler (1689–1690)
- Régiment de Charlemont
- Régiment de Clare
- Régiment de Clancarty
- Régiment de Dillon (1698–1733) (renamed Régiment de Lee)
- Régiment de Dorrington (1698– ) (renamed Régiment de Roth)
- Régiment de Dublin
- Régiment de Feilding (1689–1690)
- Régiment de Fitzgerald (1703–1708) (renamed Régiment de O'Donnell)
- Régiment de Fitzgorman
- Régiment de Galmoy (1698–1715) (to Régiment de Dillon)
- Régiment de Lally
- Régiment de Lee (1733– )
- Régiment de Limerick
- Régiment de Mountcashel (1698– ) (renamed Régiment de Lee)
- Régiment de MacElligott
- Régiment de O'Brien
- Régiment de O'Donnell (1708–1715) (to Régiment de Clare)
- Régiment de Roscommon
- Régiment de Roth (or Rooth) (renamed Régiment de Walsh)
- Régiment de Walsh (renamed from Régiment de Roth)
- Régiment de Wauchop (1715) (to Spain)
- Fitzjame's Horse
- Galmoy's Horse
- Kilmallock's Dragoons
- O'Gara's Dragoons
- Nugent's Horse (renamed Fitzjames' Horse)
- Sheldon's Horse (1698– ) (renamed Nigent's Horse)
- Irish Legion (1803–1815)
Germany
In the First World War, Imperial Germany tried with the help of Roger Casement to recruit an "Irish Brigade" from Irish-born prisoners of war who had served in the British Army. By 1916 only 52 men had volunteered, and the plan was abandoned.
In the Second World War an even smaller number volunteered to join the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany and were trained at Friesack Camp. Separately some IRA sympathisers planned certain operations with the Abwehr that were generally unsuccessful.
Latin America
Events
- Spanish American wars of independence (1811-1826)
- Irish and German Mercenary Soldiers' Revolt – Brazil 1828
- USA intervention in Mexico (1846-1848)
People
- William Aylmer– Aide-de-camp to Mariano Montilla in Venezuela
- William Brown (admiral) – "Father of the Argentine Navy"
- Peter (Pedro) Campbell – Founder of the Uruguayan Navy (see Pedro Campbell (Spanish) for detailed information.)
- John Deveraux- Commander of Irish Legion
- Antonio Donovan (1849–1897) - General in Argentina (text in Spanish)
- William Ferguson (1800-1828) - Aide-de-camp to General Simon Bolívar, involved in the struggle for independence of Venezuela, New Granada and Peru. On 28 September 1828 at Santafe de Bogotá, Ferguson was mistaken by conspirators for Bolívar, and shot in the back and mortally wounded while walking down the street. He was honoured him with a public funeral and his remains interred at the cathedral of Bogotá.
- William Lamport – nicknamed El Zorro, The Fox, due to his exploits in Mexico
- Patricio Lynch – Admiral of the Chilean navy
- Che Guevara – Argentinian-Irish descent. Revolutionary in Cuba
- Rupert Hand- Cavalry colonel that assassinated general José María Córdova. Governor of El Choco (Colombia)
- Juan MacKenna – Founder of the Military Corps of Engineers of the Chilean Army.
- John Thomond O'Brien – Aide-de-camp to general José de San Martín.
- Jorge O'Brien – Captain of the Chilean Navy during the Chilean War of Independence.
- Francis O'Connor – aide de camp to Mariano Montilla in Venezuela
- Demetrio O'Daly (general) – Puerto Rican delegate to the Spanish Cortes
- Ambrosio O'Higgins – Colonial administrator and military governor of Chile (1788–1796), father of Bernardo O'Higgins
- Bernardo O'Higgins – First Chilean head of state (Supreme Director, 1817–23), commanded the forces that won independence from Spain.
- Daniel Florencio O'Leary – aide de camp to Simón Bolívar in Venezuela
- Alexander O'Reilly – General, "Father of the Puerto Rican Militia"
- Robert Otway- materially supported the Independence of Brazil
- Santiago Mariño Fitzgerald- Venezuelan born of an Irish mother descent, aide de camp to Simón Bolívar in Venezuela
- James Rooke- at command of British Legions was seriously wounded in Vargas Swamp Battle (Colombia)
- Arthur Sandes- commander of 1st Venezuelan Rifles of Bolivar Army
- James Towers English- Irish commander of British Legions forces in the Spanish American wars of independence.
'Irish' named units in Latin America
- 1st Regiment Venezuelan Rifles- Irish regiment that took part in the Venezuelan War of Independence.
- Saint Patrick's Battalion – Irish American battalion that fought for Mexico in the Mexican American War
Papal States
An Irish Brigade led by Myles O'Reilly attempted to save the Papal States in 1859–60 during the Second Italian War of Independence.
Portugal
Russia
South Africa
Disbanded 'Irish' named units in South Africa
- Cape Town Irish Volunteer Rifles
- Irish Boer commandos
- Irish Transvaal Brigade
- 2nd Irish Brigade
'Irish' named units in South Africa
- South African Irish Regiment Formed in 1914
Spain
- Hugh Dubh O'Neill
- Shane O'Neill (son of Hugh)
- Field Marshal Alejandro O'Reilly
- Juan O'Donojú
- Joaquín Blake y Joyes
- Ricardo Wall
- Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris
- Carlos Luis O'Donnell y Jorris
- Ambrosio O'Higgins
Spanish Civil War
'Irish' named units in Spain
Historical
- Regimento de Infanteria de Hibernia (1705 – )
- Regimento de Infanteria de Irlanda (1702 – )
- Regimento de Infanteria de Limerick (1718 – )
- Regimento de Infanteria de Ultonia (1718 – )
- Regimento de Infanteria de Wauchop (1715 – )
- Regimento de Infanteria de Waterford (1718 – )
- Dragones de Dublin (1701–1722)
Spanish Cvil War (1936–1939)
United States of America
- Michael Corcoran, General in the Union Army
- Thomas Francis Meagher
- Commodore John Barry "Father of the American Navy"
- Myles Walter Keogh
- Edward Stack
- Richard Montgomery
- Philip Sheridan
- James Shields (Brig. Gen. USA) Planned defeat of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson at Kernstown in 1862
Confederate States of America
- William M. Browne
- Patrick Cleburne
- Richard W. Dowling
- Joseph Finegan
- James Hagan (Confederate colonel)
- Walter P. Lane
- Patrick T. Moore
'Irish' named units in the United States
Many of these units have their origins from the participation of Irish-Americans in the American Civil War.
- Incomplete
-
- Loyal Irish Volunteers
- 2nd American Regiment (Volunteers of Ireland) later the 105th Regiment of Foot (British Army)
- 9th Connecticut Infantry
- 7th Missouri Volunteer Infantry
- 8th Missouri Volunteer Infantry
- 9th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
- 10th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
- 10th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry (formerly 1st Middle Tennessee Volunteer Infantry)
- 23rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry
- 28th Massachusetts Infantry
- 30th Missouri Volunteer Infantry
- 35th Indiana Volunteer Infantry ("1st Irish")
- 37th New York Volunteer Infantry ("The Irish Rifles")
- 42nd New York Volunteer Infantry ("Tammany Jackson Guard")
- 63rd New York Volunteer Infantry
- 69th New York Volunteer Infantry ("Fighting 69th")
- 88th New York Volunteer Infantry
- 99th New York Volunteer Infantry
- 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
- 164th New York Volunteer Infantry ("Corcoran's Irish Zouaves")
- Irish Brigade (US)
- 1st Irish Battalion, Virginia Infantry Regulars
- 2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry ("Irish")
- 6th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry ("Irish Brigade")
- 9th Georgia Cavalry
- 10th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry ("Sons of Erin")
- Company E, 33rd Virginia Infantry, Stonewall Brigade ("Emerald Guards")
- McMillan Guards, Company K, 24th Georgia Infantry
- Jeff Davis Guard, Company F, 1st Texas Heavy Artillery
- Company I, 8th Alabama Volunteer Infantry ("Emerald Guards")
- Cobb's Legion (Georgia Legion)
Modern era
- Admiral William M. Callaghan
- Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 2007-11
- Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 2011-
See also
- Flight of the Wild Geese
- Foreign enlistment in the American Civil War
- Loyalist (American Revolution)
Notes
- ↑ Harris, R. G.: The Irish Regiments 1689–1999 , Sarpedon New York (1989, 1999) ISBN 1-885119-62-3
- ↑ Murphy, David: The Irish Brigades 1685–2006, Four Courts Press Dublin (2007) ISBN 978-1-84682-080-9
- ↑ Murphy, David: Introduction, xvii–xxi
- ↑ Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms (London: Penguin, 2011), p. 638 (last paragraph)
- ↑ http://www.movilleinishowen.com/history/moville_heritage/moville_heritage_htm/family_field_marshal_montgomery.htm
- ↑ Murphy, David: Irish Regiments in the World Wars (Osprey Publishing (2007) ISBN 978-1-84603-015-4), p. 20 quote: "Following the treaty that established the independent Irish Free State in 1922, it was decided to disband the regiments that had their traditional recruiting grounds in southern Ireland: The Royal Irish Regiment; The Connaught Rangers; The Prince of Wales' Leinster Regiment; The Royal Munster Fusiliers; The Royal Dublin Fusiliers; The South Irish Horse"
- ↑ Harris, Major Henry E. D.: p.209
- EngvarB from October 2013
- Use dmy dates from October 2013
- Articles with unsourced statements from March 2011
- Articles with unsourced statements from November 2010
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles with Spanish-language external links
- Irish diaspora
- American Civil War
- American Revolutionary War
- Confederate States Army soldiers
- Expatriate units and formations
- Foreign-born Confederates
- History of the United States (1849–65)
- Loyalists in the American Revolution
- Military history of the American Civil War
- Military of Ireland
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