Discuss Irish serving with the Parachute Regiment? in Ireland (ie. Irish Defence Force) on The Army Rumour Service; Hi, I'm from the Rep. of Ireland and I'm 16-years old. I have always been extremely interested in joining an active Armed Forces and with only two years left of secondary school, I have been ...
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Irish serving with the Parachute Regiment?
Hi, I'm from the Rep. of Ireland and I'm 16-years old. I have always been extremely interested in joining an active Armed Forces and with only two years left of secondary school, I have been seriously thinking about a career in the British Army or more accurately, applying for selection for the Parachute Regiment.
I was always active when I was younger as I played football, but I hope to join a gym and get active for the future. I have two questions but:
1). Do many Irish serve currently in the Parachute Regiment and could anybody give me any insight into it?
2). I'm only a small height of 5'5, will that affect me, (if I dont grow)?
-Thanks,
Sincerely, Delta!
- 07-01-2011, 23:50 #2Senior Member
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I remember quite a few Irish back in the early to mid eighties. Some real characters included. It's your qualities as an airborne soldier that really matter at the end of the day. Expect to have the urine extracted remorselessly however just like everybody else.
Being a short arse means you'll get out of the door easier and will be less likely to be 'counting the rivets' on the way down. Good luck with your application. Last edited by radiorental; 08-01-2011 at 01:02.
"Dare to fail." -Alan Latchley
- 07-01-2011, 23:55 #3RIP
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At the risk of a Friday night wah.
Nope you will have no problem joining the Paras. They accept anyone who measures up. If you make the grade you will be accepted, being Irish is irrelevant, don't let it bother you.
- 22-01-2011, 22:13 #4Senior Member
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DeltaIRE, this link will take you to the soldier recruitment section of the Parachute Regt pages on the British Army website. If you look at the top right there is a link for the assessment course programme.
Soldier Recruiting - British Army Website
If you get through the assessment then you will do Phase 1 (basic training) and Phase 2 (special to arm infantry training) at the Infantry Training Centre at Vimy Barracks in Catterick (North Yorkshire). Following that you will do Pegasus Company ('P' Coy) at the same location. Pass that and you will be posted to either 2 PARA or 3 PARA who are both based at Merville Barracks in Colchester. In days gone by you would have done your parachute training at RAF Brize Norton almost straight away, but because the C-130 fleet is tied up in Afghanistan there can be quite a wait before you can do this and wear your wings.
I'm not a Para, so if you have more specific questions then post them in the infantry section.
Hope this helps and good luck.
"Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life". (Cecil Rhodes, 1902).
"The game's afoot: Follow your spirit: and, upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry! England and Saint George!'" (Shakespeare, Henry V, act 3, scene 1).
"I know of no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution." (Ulysses S. Grant, 1869).
- 22-01-2011, 22:24 #5Senior Member
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Applications not welcome from those with an aversion to the names 'Mick' and 'Paddy'
The above post was made by a civvy. Feel free to disregard the contents on the grounds that civvies don't know anything.
- 01-02-2011, 23:12 #6Member
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Plenty of Irish in the PARAs - if you get any stick just remind them that Colonel Otway was an Irishman (CO 9 PARA - captured the Merville Gun battery after which the home of 16 Brigade, 2 & 3 PARA is now named).
- 01-02-2011, 23:41 #7Senior Member
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as said before "dick head" make the grade and your good enough!,we even put up with jock's and taff's as well,now THAT'S hard work!!!!!!!!.
Originally Posted by WildGoose 
si vis pacem,para bellum
timor mortis morte pejor
tout est perdu hors l'honneur
WHAT SHUFFLE BAR'S??
varium et mutabile semper femina
- 02-02-2011, 00:58 #8Senior Member
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An ex Paddy Para saved my life once . he grabbed my hair as I was falling off a ladder , thank got . So i guess the answer must be yus .
A sapper with an idea is like a monkey with a hand grenade
- 03-02-2011, 14:57 #9Senior Member
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Yeah I knew a lad from Dundalk in 2 Para years ago, also met a Dub from 3 Para in Bastion too.
Join the Army and see Strensall.
- 03-02-2011, 15:54 #10Senior Member
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There have always been Irishmen serving in the Parachute Regiment.
From the very beginnings in 1940 right up till now.
Blokes from both the Republic & Norn Iron, Catholic & Protestant.
If you're good enough to get in, stuff like that matters not one bit!
3 Para have a Green DZ Flash.........Guess why?
One of the hardest, toughest men I ever came across in the Regiment was an Irish, 5ft 5" Sergeant Major
who boxed for Norn Iron, called Sammy D from 3 Para!
A total legend!
So if you think you're good enough, you know what to do!
Rot Scheint Die Sonne.
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