Irish (republic) Servicemen in British Army

[IrishWarrior87]

I am doing research mostly just out of interest in all honesty about soldiers who joined the British army that army from the republic of Ireland and wondering If anyone knows if they face stigma in the Republic of Ireland. I know a fair amount of Irish soldiers who served in the British armed forces but most are from Northern Ireland. Any ideas or insight would be truly appreciated. Please excuse if my question is naïve in nature as it is very sincere.

 

[dingerr]

If they are from Northern Ireland they are British, not Irish.

 

[stacker1]

I am doing research mostly just out of interest in all honesty about soldiers who joined the British army that army from the republic of Ireland and wondering If anyone knows if they face stigma in the Republic of Ireland. I know a fair amount of Irish soldiers who served in the British armed forces but most are from Northern Ireland. Any ideas or insight would be truly appreciated. Please excuse if my question is naïve in nature as it is very sincere.

Most of the Royal Irish that I knew from South of the border said they rarely told anyone outside of their family. Not so much because of any possible stigma, but because the IRA are murdering cnuts.

 

[CutLunchCommando]

If they are from Northern Ireland they are British, not Irish.

Wheeeee!

 

[Onetap]

If they are from Northern Ireland they are British, not Irish.

"The Good Friday Agreement contains provisions for birthrights of the ‘people of Northern Ireland’ to identify as Irish or British, or both, and accordingly hold British and Irish Citizenship, without differential or detrimental treatment."

 

[Dreamseller]

"The Good Friday Agreement contains provisions for birthrights of the ‘people of Northern Ireland’ to identify as Irish or British, or both, and accordingly hold British and Irish Citizenship, without differential or detrimental treatment."

That may well be the case, but a recent court case showed that the Government recognise them as British no matter what an individual says they are.

 

[IrishWarrior87]

If they are from Northern Ireland they are British, not Irish.

Thank you for your response. Yes, that is true. Sorry, maybe my post was not clear but I am trying to gauge the feeling toward servicemen from the Republic, not Northern.

 

[CutLunchCommando]

@irlsgt?
@Gary Cooper?
@bohs_man?

 

[Paymaster]

As a Tp Ldr in NI during the early 70s I had a Tpr who was born in Dublin, he had been a 2Lt in the Irish Army but had got a girl into trouble and had to leave in a hurry. It was very amusing to see the reactions he got when stopping cars on the Shankill!

 

[Stovepipe]

Good friend of mine flew Harriers in the RAF. His father was a Mossie pilot before him. No shortage of Southerners joining UK forces, since old God's time and to this day. Anyone joining from the South wouldnt want to advertise the fact but 99% of the population couldn't care less. Just the usual Shinner meatheads...

 

[IrishWarrior87]

Most of the Royal Irish that I knew from South of the border said they rarely told anyone outside of their family. Not so much because of any possible stigma, but because the IRA are murdering cnuts.

Thank you for response. Yea, It's such an odd and interesting thing. I wonder If the IRA has tentacles that far. My whole family is Irish, originally from the South but been in England for a few generations. Raised Catholic and everything and I look at myself and ancestors as just part of the family of the British isles and the IRA as thugs.

 

[irlsgt]

Depends when you are talking about

20 years ago, they would probably tell family and close friends only, for security reasons

Now…. Depends on your friends I suppose


Back in 2012, there was a viable threat to the life of an Irishman in the British Army who was home on leave in Limerick. Thankfully Gardai prevented the CIRA doing anything.

IRA Christmas plot to shoot British soldier here is foiled

GARDAI have foiled a plot by dissident terrorists to murder a British soldier as he spent the Christmas season here with his family.

m.independent.ie

There is idiots everywhere, you would need to be security aware.



BTW, not an issue now but I knew an Irish Army officer who couldn’t visit his wife’s folks in NI for security reasons (pre GFA)

 

[CutLunchCommando]

BTW, not an issue now but I knew an Irish Army officer who couldn’t visit his wife’s folks in NI for security reasons (pre GFA)

A specific threat or a general precaution?

 

[irlsgt]

A specific threat or a general precaution?

General

 

[CutLunchCommando]

I know of a guy who was UDR, long retired by the time this happened. Went south to visit a friend at home after what he thought was a suitable time after peace being declared. Told no-one. Drew up outside the chaps house, greeted by a neighbour (another friend who he also knew apparently) "I heard you were coming." Straight back in the car and home via a different route.

 

[Andy Farman]

I am doing research mostly just out of interest in all honesty about soldiers who joined the British army that army from the republic of Ireland and wondering If anyone knows if they face stigma in the Republic of Ireland. I know a fair amount of Irish soldiers who served in the British armed forces but most are from Northern Ireland. Any ideas or insight would be truly appreciated. Please excuse if my question is naïve in nature as it is very sincere.

If you are talking about WW2? Yes, I believe all who served in HM Forces were stigmatised.

 

[Mr_Fingerz]

My auld fella was from Dublin. Joined in 1958, after 1969 he wasn't allowed home, Did three (?) Banner tours - two as Regt Int. He couldn't attend his parents' funerals, and had to wait for some time after the GFA before he could visit their grave.

 

[Awol]

Something like 50,000 Irishmen (from memory) died in the Great War. Regiments from both religious denominations fought side by side on the Somme.

It’s very likely that family history plays a big part in encouraging people from the South to join the British Army, irrespective of political and religious realities.

 

[Mr_Fingerz]

Something like 50,000 Irishmen (from memory) died in the Great War. Regiments from both religious denominations fought side by side on the Somme.

It’s very likely that family history plays a big part in encouraging people from the South to join the British Army, irrespective of political and religious realities.

In the 50's and 60's it was purely economics.

E2A The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Memorial for the Boer War at Stephens Green is still known as Traitors' Gate.

 

[Awol]

In the 50's and 60's it was purely economics.

E2A The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Memorial for the Boer War at Stephens Green is still known as Traitors' Gate.

That’s shameful. They were fighting for their country at the time. Just because lines on a map moved a century later doesn’t diminish that.

My Great Grandmother was Irish. We think she came to England to be with her brother who was a navvy, building railways. Her son, my Grandfather, joined up in 1941 and became a founding member of the RAF Regiment.*

There was never a hint from anywhere that he was betraying Ireland and that was how it should have been.



* I know, I know