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Ireland Army - History

The Irish Volunteers, Óglaigh na hÉireann, were founded on 25 November 1913 at a public meeting held in the Rotunda Rink in Dublin. The founders included The O’Rahilly, a member of the governing body of the Gaelic League, Eoin Mac Néill, Professor of Early and Mediaeval Irish History at University College Dublin, and Patrick Pearse, another prominent member of the Gaelic League. The movement caught the public imagination so that by July 1914 the Volunteers numbered some 180,000 members. The Volunteers were formed against a background of rising militancy in Ireland. The spur for this was the Irish Home Rule Bill of 1912 to which the Unionists were vehemently opposed. As a result of Unionist opposition to Home Rule, the Ulster Volunteer Force was created and by 1913 had been organised into a force of nearly 100,000 men. Inspired by the example of Ulster, the Irish Volunteers were founded.

The Irish Volunteers had a membership of 180,000 by mid 1914 but split over whether its members should enlist in the British Forces and fight in the European war. About 11,000 strongly opposed this and kept the original name. The remainder became known as the National Volunteers. The Irish Republican Brotherhood, a secret revolutionary body, effectively took over control of the Irish Volunteers and using it, planned and directed a rebellion in 1916. The Rising was virtually confined to Dublin.

On Easter Monday the Volunteers occupied a number of strategic buildings within the city that commanded the main routes into the capital. As the week progressed fighting became intense and was characterised by prolonged, fiercely contested street battles. On Saturday the insurgent leaders, based mainly in the General Post Office, were forced to agree to a surrender. Their decision was then made known to and accepted, sometimes reluctantly, by the garrisons still fighting. The Irish Volunteers had fought with discipline and skill. Fifteen of the leaders of the Rising were executed between 3 and 12 May 1916.

In the autumn of 1923 it was decided to reduce the strength of the army and to reorganise it for peacetime. This entailed a reduction of 30,000 personnel. A small group of officers, led mainly by former members of Collins’ intelligence unit, attempted to resist the efforts to demobilise officers. This evolved into what has been called the “Army Mutiny” of March 1924. Its importance is not in what actually happened but that when it was resolved the supremacy of democratic control was established over the Defence Forces. At the end of the Civil War the new state set about providing a legal status for its armed forces. Under the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 the Executive Council formally established Óglaigh na hÉireann on 1 October 1924.

A Military Mission was sent to the USA in 1926 to study organisation and training methods. As a result training was placed on a proper footing with the establishment of a Military College, Corps and Service Schools. The Eucharistic Congress, held in Dublin in 1932, saw a heavy ceremonial and administrative commitment by the Defence Forces. The Mounted Escort (popularly known as the Blue Hussars) first appeared in public at the Congress. As the Permanent Defence Force was being reduced, a policy of building up Reserves was pursued which culminated with the formation of the Volunteer Force in 1934.

On the outbreak of World War II, in September 1939, the Defence Forces mobilised at a strength of less than 20,000. A recruiting campaign began and an effective fighting force was quickly developed. In April/May 1941 the strength of the Emergency Army reached a high point of almost 41,000 and in June 1943 the Local Defence Force reached a strength of 106,000. Mobilisation saw the formation of two divisions and two independent brigades. The First Division, under Maj Gen M. J. Costello, had its headquarters in Cork while the Second Division, under Maj Gen Hugo McNeill, had its headquarters in Carton House, Maynooth. The independent 5 and 8 Brigades were based in the Curragh and in Rineanna (now Shannon Airport) respectively.

The area based Commands relinquished responsibility for field operations but continued to undertake all garrison duties, recruit training and the organisation of the Local Defence Force. Approximately 170 aircraft crashed or force landed on Irish territory during the period. Separate internment camps were established in the Curragh for both Allied and German aircrews as well as the 164 German seamen rescued by the MV Kerlogue in the Bay of Biscay. In addition to the bombing of the North Strand in Dublin, bombs were also dropped in Campile, Dundalk, Monaghan, Carlow and the Curragh.

At the end of the Emergency the strength of the Defence Forces was reduced to an establishment of 12,500. The Regular Army was now composed of three Brigades, one in each Command. By March 1947 strength had dropped to 8,803. To capitalise on the Emergency experience An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúl (FCÁ) replaced the Local Defence Force.

The declaration of a Republic in April 1949 saw no change however to the government’s defence policy. Poor conditions and lack of equipment led to a period of stagnation that remained until the onset of overseas service. In December 1956 the IRA Border Campaign got underway and concentrated on attacks on British Army barracks and RUC stations. In response, elements of the Defence Forces were moved to the border. By March 1962 the campaign had ended. In 1959 the FCÁ was integrated with the Regular Army. Six Brigades of mixed Regular and FCÁ units, each with only one Regular Infantry Battalion were established.

Ireland became a member of the United Nations in 1955 and in 1958 sent military observers on a UN mission to the Middle East (UNOGIL). This was the beginning of the Defence Forces’ involvement in overseas service, which continues to this day. The United Nations mission in the Congo, which lasted from July 1960 to May 1964, opened up new horizons for the Defence Forces. Overseas service highlighted many shortcomings. As a result pay and conditions improved and equipment was modernised. The 7.62mm FN rifle replaced the .303 Lee-Enfield, Panhard armoured cars replaced the Swedish Landverks and Irish-built Fords.

Overseas service also came at a price at places such as Niemba where nine soldiers died on 11 November 1960. Cyprus was the next area of operations. In April 1964 the first Irish unit was sent there to keep the peace between the Turkish and Greek communities. It turned out to be our longest overseas mission by far and participation lasted until May 2005. In June 1963 the President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, visited Ireland. During his visit he laid a wreath on the graves of the 1916 leaders at Arbour Hill. He declared afterwards that this had been one of the most impressive experiences of his life. Before the year was out, our Cadets rendered military honours at his graveside in Arlington following his assassination. In 1966 the fiftieth anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 was commemorated in military ceremonies involving all elements of the Defence Forces.

In 1969 the outbreak of violence in Northern Ireland marked the start of an intense period of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) by all elements of the Defence Forces. The FCÁ played a very important part in this task. The emphasis was now placed on internal security operations rather than conventional operations. Three Infantry Groups were initially deployed to the border with the six counties.

The establishment of field hospitals and refugee camps added a new dimension to a very complex operation. As a result three newly activated Infantry Battalions and a Cavalry Squadron were established and ten military posts were developed in the border area. In 1980 the integrated brigade system was replaced by a separate command and control structure for FCÁ units within each Command. The tasks for the Defence Forces included the provision of permanent guards on vital installations, the provision of armed parties for the escort of cash, explosives and prisoners, and the presence of Defence Forces personnel at blasting sites within the state.

In addition specialist assistance such as bomb disposal, search teams as well as air and naval support were provided to the Gardaí. The increased security requirements for events such as high profile visits and EU Summits added to the commitment. In May 1991 the Minister for Defence signed the Defence Forces’ Regulation which resulted in the establishment of representative associations within the organisation.

The late 1990s heralded a new phase in the evolution of the Defence Forces with a major restructuring involving the removal of Command Headquarters, the disestablishment of garrison units, the closure of barracks and the development of a three brigade structure. Funds freed up from the reduction in personnel and the sale of property were put into a re-equipment and infrastructural program.

The period saw an increased emphasis on planning, education and training. A range of human resource policy initiatives were introduced which serve to cement a commitment to best HR practice. The Defence Forces has embraced the need for these ongoing changes as part of its culture. As a result of multi-role tasking by the government the Naval Service, assisted by the Air Corps, now has considerable responsibilities in monitoring and conducting surveillance of Ireland’s maritime interests. The period saw a restructuring of the Reserve Defence Force which involved major organisational change with access to improved training resources, new equipment and logistic support.

The Peace Process, heralded by the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998, has reduced the intensity of the commitment to Aid to the Civil Power Operations and has allowed greater emphasis on training for the full spectrum of Peace Support Operations. Ongoing world tension and the international response to natural disasters indicate that multinational peace support, crisis management and humanitarian operations will play an increasing part in the activities of the Defence Forces.