Royal Irish Regiment (1992)

For the regiment of the same name, disbanded in 1922, see Royal Irish Regiment (1684–1922).

The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment) (R IRISH) is an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was founded in 1992 through the amalgamation of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment. Their oldest predecessor, the 27th Regiment of Foot, was first raised in June 1689 to fight in the Williamite War in Ireland. Other notable regiments in their lineage include the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Royal Irish Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's).

Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment)
Cap badge of the Royal Irish Regiment
Active	1 July 1992–present
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Line Infantry
Role	1st Battalion – Light Recce 2nd Battalion – Light infantry (Army Reserve)
Size	Two battalions
Part of	Union Division
Garrison/HQ	RHQ – Holywood 1st Battalion – Ternhill 2nd Battalion – Lisburn
Motto(s)	"Faugh A Ballagh" (Irish) "Clear the Way"
Colours	Green, Black
March	Quick – Killaloe Slow – Eileen Alannah
Mascot(s)	Irish Wolfhound (Brian Boru X)
Anniversaries	Barrosa Day, 5 March; Somme Day, 1 July
Engagements	Kosovo War Sierra Leone Civil War Operation Banner Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	The Duchess of Edinburgh
Colonel of the Regiment	Major General Colin Weir
Commanding Officer 1st Battalion	Lieutenant Colonel Andy Bourne
Notable commanders	Col Tim Collins^[1]
Insignia
DZ Tactical Recognition Flash
Tartan	Saffron (pipes)
Hackle	Green From Royal Irish Rangers
Abbreviation	R IRISH

The motto of the regiment is Faugh A Ballagh (Modern Irish: Fág an Bealach), derived from the Irish Gaelic phrase for "Clear the Way". This originates from the Peninsular War when Ensign Edward Keogh of the 87th Regiment of Foot let out the cry while capturing a French Imperial Eagle at the Battle of Barrosa. The Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Irish Regiment has been Palace Barracks in County Down, Northern Ireland since moving there in 2008.

History

With an antecedence reaching back to 1688, the regiment was formed in 1992. The creation followed the Options for Change proposals which recommended the amalgamation of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). Most of the membership of the new regiment came from the UDR. This produced an overwhelmingly Ulster Protestant regiment with eleven battalions:^[2]

• Regular Army – General Service
  • 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
• Territorial Army
  • 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers
  • 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers
• Regular Army – Northern Ireland Resident Battalions (Home Service)
  • 3rd (County Down) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
  • 4th (County Fermanagh and County Tyrone) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
  • 5th (County Londonderry) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
  • 6th (County Armagh) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment (former 2nd/11th Battalion UDR)
  • 7th (City of Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
  • 8th (County Tyrone) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
  • 9th (County Antrim) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment

The Home Service battalions, permanently based in Northern Ireland, filled the role formerly occupied by the UDR, assisting the Royal Ulster Constabulary (with a focus on combating militant Irish republicanism), in Northern Ireland during Operation Banner. The 1st and 2nd Battalions could serve worldwide as general service battalions.^[3]

Because of its size, the regiment was removed from the King's Division and existed within its own division of infantry. In August 1993, the two regular battalions were amalgamated as the 1st battalion.^[4]

In 2000 in Sierra Leone, whilst deployed to train government troops, eleven Royal Irish soldiers and their local army liaison officer were captured by the West Side Boys insurgents. Five hostages were later released and the remaining six were freed by the Special Air Service and The Parachute Regiment during Operation Barras: with the West Side Boys suffering severe casualties in the action.^[5]

The 1st Battalion deployed to Iraq at the beginning of Operation Telic in March 2003, where they carried out operations in the south of the country. Its (now-retired) commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for distinguished service.^[6]

The number of Home Service battalions were reduced to three by April 2003:^[7]

• 2nd Battalion – amalgamation of 7th and 9th Battalions
• 3rd Battalion – amalgamation of 3rd and 8th Battalions
• 4th Battalion – amalgamation of 4th and 5th Battalions

In 2005, the Provisional Irish Republican Army announced an end to its armed campaign. In response the British government announced the end of Operation Banner, and with it the disbandment of the Home Service battalions.^[8] A redundancy package was announced in March 2006.^[9] The Home Service battalions were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) by the Queen in Belfast on 6 October 2006.^[10] The home service battalions were declared non-operational in October 2006, and disbanded in July 2007.^[11] At the same time, the Royal Irish Rangers, then serving as the TA battalion, was renamed as 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment.^[12]

The 1st Battalion returned from six months in Iraq on Op TELIC VI/VII in May 2006 having served in the Shaibah Logistics Base near Basra. Although the majority of the battalion was deployed around the MND(SE) area a single company was deployed to Baghdad.^[13]

Three platoons of the 1st Battalion (Barrosa, Somme and Ranger Platoons) deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade and supported 3rd Parachute Regiment, the latter forming 9 Platoon, C Coy, 3 PARA. They were involved in some of the heaviest fighting during HERRICK IV. Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch and Fijian Ranger Anare Draiva were killed by the Taliban during HERRICK IV.^[14]

In summer 2007 the Regimental Headquarters moved from St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena to Palace Barracks, Belfast.^[15]

Both battalions deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. The 1st battalion provided Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) to assist in training the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), and the 2nd battalion were the first Territorial Army company strength grouping to provide OMLT training from NATO forces. They were also the first TA Company to fully man Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) within the green zone. One company of the 1st Battalion, attached to 2 PARA, named Ranger Company, undertook offensive operations in the Sangin area of Helmand Province. The 1st Battalion lost Ranger Justin Cupples to an improvised explosive device (IED) during HERRICK VIII.^[16]

Both battalions again deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade to Afghanistan on HERRICK XIII from September 2010. Based in the southern part of Helmand, they lost Lance Corporal Stephen McKee, Ranger Aaron McCormick and Ranger David Dalzell during HERRICK XIII.^[17]

Under the Defence in a Competitive Age programme and subsequent Future Soldier, the 1st Battalion will transfer to the 16 Air Assault Brigade.^[18]

Current structure

The 1st Battalion (1 R IRISH) is a Light Recce Strike Infantry unit and comes under the 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team. Its personnel are based at Clive Barracks in Tern Hill.^[19]

The 2nd Battalion (2 R IRISH) is an Army Reserve infantry unit and comes under the 19th Brigade. It is headquartered at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn.^[19]

Recruitment

The regiment recruits from both Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and those across the UK with Irish ancestry.^[20]

Operational honours

Iraq

• Corporal Trevor Raywood Coult, Military Cross^[21]
• Lieutenant Richard Gordon Deane, Military Cross.^[22]

Afghanistan

• Lieutenant Colonel Colin Richard James Weir, MBE, Distinguished Service Order^[23]
• Lance Corporal Ratu Apenisa Qalitakivuna, Military Cross^[23]
• Acting Sergeant Alwyn John Stevens, Conspicuous Gallantry Cross^[24]
• Corporal Robert William Kerr McClurg, Conspicuous Gallantry Cross^[24]
• Lance Corporal Jone Bruce Toge, Conspicuous Gallantry Cross^[24]
• Captain Douglas Ricardo Beattie, Military Cross^[25]
• Captain David Bradley Rainey, Military Cross^[24]
• Lieutenant Paul David McFarland, Military Cross^[24]
• Sergeant Stephen McConnell, Military Cross^[24]
• Ranger Alan William Owens, Military Cross^[24]

Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scrolls

Up to May 2010, 32 Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the families of Royal Irish personnel.^[26]

Traditions

In memory of a 2006 battle in the Afghan town of Musa Qala, a new Regimental March, composed by Chris Attrill and commissioned by Larne Borough Council, was given to the regiment on Saturday 1 November 2008 in Larne, County Antrim, during an event in which the regiment was also presented with the 'Freedom of the Borough'. This gives the regiment the right to march through the town with "flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed". The March was named Musa Qala.^[27]

The uniform combines elements of the uniform of the Royal Irish Rangers with the harp-and-crown cap badge of the Ulster Defence Regiment.^[28]

Sticks made of blackthorn are carried by commissioned officers of the Royal Irish Regiment.^[29]

Colonel-in-Chief

• The Duke of York, KG GCVO CD (1992–2022),^[30] who presented the regiment's colours to St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh on 16 June 2001: there is a plaque commemorating this event in the south aisle.^[31]
• The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO CD (2023–present)^[32]

Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the regiment have been:^[33]

• 1992–1996: Gen. Sir Charles Richard Huxtable, KCB, CBE
• 1996–2001: Gen. Sir Roger Neil Wheeler, GCB, CBE
• 2001–2013: Lt-Gen. Philip Charles Cornwallis Trousdell, KBE, CB
• 2013–2018: Brig. Joseph S.S. O'Sullivan
• 2018–present: Major General Colin Weir DSO MBE^[1]

Order of precedence

Preceded by Royal Welsh

Infantry Order of Precedence

Succeeded by The Parachute Regiment

Lineage

1880^[34]	1881 Childers Reforms^[34]	1921 Name changes	1957 Defence White Paper	1966 Defence White Paper	1990 Options for Change	2003 Delivering Security in a Changing World
27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot	The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers			The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd and 87th)		The Royal Irish Regiment
108th (Madras Infantry) Regiment of Foot
83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot	The Royal Irish Rifles	The Royal Ulster Rifles
86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot
87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot	Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers)	The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot
				The Ulster Defence Regiment

Alliances

•   United States – 101st Airborne Division
•   Canada – The Princess Louise Fusiliers
•   Canada – 2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada
•   Australia – Adelaide University Regiment
•   New Zealand - 2nd Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment
•   South Africa – Andrew Mlangeni Regiment
•   Gibraltar – Royal Gibraltar Regiment
•   Pakistan – 1st Battalion, Punjab Regiment
•   Pakistan – 9th Battalion, Frontier Force Regiment
•   Royal Navy – HMS Bulwark

References

1. Sivills-McCann, David (13 September 2021). "Massed Bands From All Four Of Army's Irish Regiments Share The Stage". Forces Network. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
2. "Irish regiment marches ahead: Christopher Bellamy reports on the new Army regiment that marks the demise of the UDR". The Independent. 30 June 1992. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
3. "The Army". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 24 February 1993. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
4. "History of the Regiment". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
5. "Eyewitness: Held by the West Side Boys". BBC News. 30 August 2000. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
6. "No. 57100". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 2003. p. 3.
7. "Royal Irish Regiment Home Battalions". UK Parliament. 29 April 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
8. "Royal Irish units to be disbanded". BBC. 2 August 2005. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
9. "NI soldiers getting £250m pay-off". BBC News. 9 March 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
10. . 6 October 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
11. "Royal Irish Regiment". Ballymoney. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
12. "Irish Rangers/North Irish Militia". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
13. "1 R IRISH deploys to Iraq". Royal Irish. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
14. "Fallen heroes brought home". Oxford Mail. 12 September 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
15. "NI: 1,500 jobs to be axed as army bases are closed". Breaking News. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
16. "Ranger Justin James Cupples killed in Afghanistan". Ministry of Defence. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
17. "Duke of York awards Elizabeth Cross to soldiers killed in Afghanistan". The Telegraph. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
18. British Army, August 2021 Soldier Magazine. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
19. "Transforming the British Army: An update" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 9. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
20. "Information regarding the recruiting areas of each infantry battalion" (PDF).
21. "Soldier talks of 'occupational hazards'". BBC. 19 October 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
22. . MOD Website – Op TELIC Awards. 18 March 2005. Archived from the original on 18 March 2005. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
23. "Operational Honours and Awards List". Ministry of Defence. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
24. . Ministry of Defence. 6 March 2009. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
25. "Armed Forces Operational Honours". The Daily Telegraph. London. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2007.
26. "Response to a Freedom of Information Act request". Ministry of Defence. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
27. "New march to be gifted at Larne ceremony". Newsletter. 1 November 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
28. "The Royal Irish Regiment". The Royal Irish Rangers Association. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
29. . Tintean. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
30. "Prince Andrew's military affiliations and royal patronages returned to the Queen". Sky News. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
31. "Funary Monuments & Memorials in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh" Curl, J.S. p60: Whitstable; Historical Publications; 2013 ISBN 978-1-905286-48-5
32. "Further Military Appointments for Members of the Royal Family". The Royal Family. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
33. "The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)". regiments.org. from the original on 3 January 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
34. The London Gazette, Page 3300-3301 (1 July 1881). "Childers Reform". No. 24992. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 27 October 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Irish Regiment (1992).

• Official site
• RIR Association