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. 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.

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
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-half of the military forces of the British Army consisted of Irishmen), because of:-


 * the fact that the Irish, the English and Scottish Kingdoms were in personal union under the Monarch until the partition of Ireland.
 * the long history of the Kingdom of Ireland to 1800, followed by Ireland being part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland between 1801 and 1922
 * the continuing close links following the 26-county Irish Free State's evolving constitutional and legal separation from the United Kingdom
 * 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
 * the vastly greater size of the Irish population relative to the population of Great Britain, compared to the 20th century. 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 astonishingly to 1:12. 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:-


 * Admiral Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer
 * William Blakeney, 1st Baron Blakeney
 * Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle
 * Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Bulfin
 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Callaghan
 * Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
 * Major General Sir George Colley
 * Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote
 * Lieutenant-general Alan Cunningham
 * Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
 * Major-General Beauchamp Doran
 * Eric Dorman-Smith
 * Major-General Lord Dugan
 * Paddy Finucane
 * Air Chief Marshal Sir Francis Fogarty
 * Field Marshal Viscount Gough
 * Walter Guinness, 1st Baron Moyne
 * Major General Sir Charles Gwynn
 * Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
 * Tom F. Hazell
 * Major General Sir William Hickie
 * Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
 * General Sir Garrett O'Moore Creagh VC


 * Brigadier General Richard Kane
 * Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny
 * Field Marshal Lord Kitchener
 * Major General Louis Lipsett
 * Lieutenant General Henry Lyster VC
 * General Sir Bryan Mahon
 * Paddy Mayne
 * George McElroy
 * Lieutenant General Sir Charles MacMorrough Kavanagh
 * George Napier
 * Henry Napier
 * General Sir William Napier
 * Major General Luke O'Connor VC
 * Field Marshal James O'Hara
 * Major General David The O'Morchoe
 * Admiral Sir Robert Otway
 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Richards
 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir John de Robeck
 * Admiral Sir Peter Warren
 * Field Marshal The Duke of Wellington
 * Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP
 * Field Marshal Lord Wolseley
 * General Daniel O'Leary

Others were not born in Ireland, but were born into Irish families, such as:-


 * Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke
 * Field Marshal Lord Alexander of Tunis
 * General Sir Miles Dempsey
 * Brigadier General George Grogan VC
 * Field Marshal Lord Gort VC
 * General Sir Charles John Stanley Gough VC
 * General Sir Hugh Henry Gough, VC
 * Field Marshal Lord Lambart


 * Lieutenant General Sir George Macdonogh
 * Colonel Henry McMahon
 * Field Marshal Lord Montgomery
 * General Sir Richard O'Connor
 * General Charles O'Hara
 * General Sir Edward Quinan
 * Field Marshal Lord Roberts

Victoria Cross recipients:-

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

 * What is now the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was founded in 1674 as "The Irish Regiment"
 * The Volunteers of Ireland (1777–82), were renamed the 105th Regiment of Foot
 * 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, amalgamated 1922.
 * 5th Royal Irish Lancers, disbanded in 1921, reconstituted and amalgamated in 1922.
 * 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
 * 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, amalgamated 1958.
 * Queen's Royal Irish Hussars, created 1958, amalgamated 1993.
 * Queen's Royal Hussars (Queen's Own & Royal Irish). created 1993.
 * North Irish Horse
 * South Irish Horse
 * Irish Guards
 * Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, amalgamated 1968
 * Royal Irish Fusiliers, amalgamated 1968


 * Royal Ulster Rifles, amalgamated 1968
 * Royal Irish Rifles, renamed as Royal Ulster Rifles 1921.
 * Royal Irish Rangers, created 1968, amalgamated 1992
 * Royal Irish Regiment (1992)
 * Tyneside Irish Brigade, disbanded 1918.
 * London Irish Rifles, amalgamated 1992
 * Liverpool Irish.
 * Royal Irish Artillery, amalgamated 1801.
 * Ulster Defence Regiment, amalgamated 1992

Following the establishment of the independent Irish Free State in 1922, the five regiments that had their traditional recruiting grounds in the counties of the new state were disbanded. They 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 was the only Irish unit to fight in the Second World 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 Hungarian 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
 * Gérard de Lally-Tollendal – 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

 * Kingdom of France
 * Irish Brigade Some of these were formally incorporated into the 18th century French Army array, while others were "Wild Geese"
 * 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)(remamed 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 fro 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 Fitzjame's Horse)
 * Sheldon's Horse (1698 – )(remamed Nigent's Horse)


 * First French Empire
 * Irish Legion (1803–1815)

Germany

 * Baron George Von Scheffler, Gardes du Corps (Prussia) 1914–18

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

 * Irish and German Mercenary Soldiers' Revolt – Brazil 1828
 * Daniel Florencio O'Leary – aide de camp to Simón Bolívar in Venezuela
 * Demetrio O'Daly (General) – Puerto Rican delegate to the Spanish Cortes
 * William Brown (admiral) – "Father of the Argentine Navy"
 * William Lamport – nicknamed El Zorro, the Fox, due to his exploits in Mexico
 * Saint Patrick's Battalion – A unit of Irish immigrants forming part of the Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War (1846–48).
 * Alexander O'Reilly – General, "Father of the Puerto Rican Militia",
 * 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.
 * 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 military forces that won independence from Spain.
 * Admiral Robert Otway materially supported the Independence of Brazil
 * Patricio Lynch – Admiral of the Chilean navy
 * Che Guevara – Revolutionary
 * Peter (Pedro) Campbell – the Irish-born founder of the Uruguayan Navy (see Pedro Campbell for detailed information.)

'Irish' named units in Latin America

 * 1st Venezuelan Rifles
 * 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
Kingdom of Portugal
 * Marshal William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford

Russia

 * Field Marshal Count Peter von Lacy

'Irish' named units in South Africa

 * Cape Town Irish Volunteer Rifles
 * South African Irish Regiment
 * Irish Boer commandos
 * Irish Transvaal Brigade
 * 2nd Irish Brigade

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


 * Frank Ryan
 * Eoin O'Duffy

'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)
 * Connolly Column
 * Irish Brigade (Spanish Civil War)
 * Irish Socialist Volunteers

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

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

American Revolution

Loyalists
 * Loyal Irish Volunteers
 * 2nd American Regiment (Volunteers of Ireland) later the 105th Regiment of Foot (British Army)

American Civil War

Union 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)

Confederate Army
 * 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 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen