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Irish Military Diaspora

Irish Military Diaspora

Irish Military Diaspora

Irish Military Diaspora


Quick links to Irish Military Diaspora and associated pages

♣ Main Page ♣ - ♣ England ♣ - ♣ France ♣ - ♣ Latin America ♣ - ♣ United States ♣ - ♣ People of the Nine Years War ♣ - ♣ The Stuart Army ♣ - ♣ Norman invasion of Ireland ♣


This is part of the ♣ WikiTree Irish Roots Project ♣ and working with Military_and_War Project - European Aristocrats Project - Notables Project - Categorization Project If you're interested in any of these projects, just click on one to see how you can help and get their badge.

The Irish military diaspora refers to the many people of either Irish birth or extraction (see Irish diaspora) who have served in overseas military or constabulary forces, regardless of rank, duration of service, or success.


Note: "under development (about 10% complete). If something is unclear, you have a question or would like to join in and help, please let us know here or at Rich Devlin or Valerie Willis

Contents

Purpose & Use

The purpose of this page is to provide a starting/reference point for those interested in Irish Military Diaspora, its peoples and history. Profiles should have duplicates merged, biographies cleaned up and military section added, family added to connect to the main tree, appropriate tags and categories added and general clean up of profiles. You can write a biography, find sources, connect to the main tree and/or format profiles.

1. Find Notables from outside sources and add them to these lists.
2. Find these Notables in Wikitree, if not here, create a profile
3. Add notes of what needs to be done to each profile. i.e. Bio. needs work, needs sources, connect to tree etc.
4. Add appropriate stickers and categories
5. Cross link units listed here with Military and War units (add as needed)

Volunteers are also needed as Point of contact and/or leaders within this project, such as Military_and_War, Aristocrats, Notables, Categories, US Civil War, French Forces, or any other area you have an interest in.

History

Pre 1155

The Celtic Race has a history of serving as mercenaries, of fighting others wars. With King Darius they invaded Greece, they served the Pharaohs, and carved their names on tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Cleopatra had them as a bodyguard. They alone stood firm against Scipio in front of Carthage and paid the price. Hannibal recruited them to cross the Alps with him and Ancient Rome prized them as Cavalry.[1][2]

The Roman Army recruited many Irish from the west coast of England into auxiliary units that were dispatched to the German frontier.
400-900 Golden Age in Ireland
590 St Columbanus began founding monasteries on the Continent, setting the stage for Irish influence and the revival of Christianity to the Continent.[3]
790 The Vikings began to raid Ireland.
900 - 911 The Irish and Norse went into Cumberland, Lancashire and Cheshire in England.

1155-1580

The Norman invasion of Ireland In May 1169 was the beginning of 800 years of conflict with England. King Edward I recruited Irish light cavalry (hobblers) to serve in his English Army in France in the 100 years War and to patrol the English border with Scotland.

1169–1536 Norman influence in Ireland
1155 John of Salisbury visited Pope Adrian IV at Rome and got permission for Henry II to invade Ireland.
1483 Firearms introduced to Ireland when six muskets were sent from Germany as a gift to Gerald Fitzgerald Earl of Kildare; they were born by Kildare's guards "more for show than for use." (Ireland under the Tudors by Richard Bagwell)
In 1487, an O'Donnell was killed by gunfire in a local brawl - Guns were used for the first time in Ireland by the troops of Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill


C.1580-1800 Flight of the Wild Geese

Between 1585 and 1818, over half a million Irish were lured from their homeland by promises of glory, money and honour in a constant emigration romantically styled 'The Flight of the Wild Geese'. Throughout this period, the Irish brigades in France, Spain, Austria, and Venice participated in conflicts ranging from the wars of the Spanish and Austrian Succession to the Napoleonic Wars. Between 1652 and 1654, after Cromwell's defeat of the Irish, over 34,000 joined Continental Service.[4] They fought in every major conflict from the days of Louis XIV to the last world war.

One-third to one-half of the American troops during the Revolutionary War and 9 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Irish Americans.[5]

Wikitree sub-pages (After these two wars, for fear of retaliation and economic reasons, there was major migration from Ireland to the continent).
People of the Nine Years War in Ireland 1593-1603 also known as Tyrone's War
The Stuart Army of King James II 1689-1697 Williamite War in Ireland aka Jacobite War
Background reading and references
Flight of the Earls' in 1607
1606/7 Plantation of Ulster
Irish Brigades Abroad
Wild Geese Heritage Museum and Library
Irish Soldiers In the American Revolutionary War (Under British, France, Spain and American colonies)

1800-1910

Ireland opened the 19th century still reeling from the effects of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Prisoners were still being deported to Australia.
In the 1840s the Great Famine ravaged Ireland, forcing millions facing starvation to leave the island for a better life in America just in time for the US Civil War.


Post 1910 The War Years

There were nearly 9 million men in total that served with the British and Commonwealth Armies during the Great War and around 5 million of those were from the United Kingdom and Ireland.[6] (Needs to be Written)


The Irish in Overseas Military Forces

Austria and Austria-Hungary

Although no known units were formed for any length of time (need to research), by one estimation, over 100 Irishmen were field marshals, generals, or admirals in the Austrian Army, with a corresponding number of men holding commissions in the lower ranks[7]

"Because of its multicultural nature, it was easier for a young foreigner to make progress in the Habsburg empire than in France or Spain," explains Michael Kenny. "I read somewhere that in order to be a successful career soldier in the Austro-Hungarian military you had to have a reasonable grasp of 11 languages." One of which, on any given day, might well have been Irish; for though they were relatively few in number, the Irish who went to Austria made quite an impact.[8]

Notables

Napoleon-Series Austrian Generals

Units

  • Irish Regiment of Foot (Austrian) 1689-1690 1,800 strong
  • Second Irish Regiment - Name Unknown 1692-1693 2,000 strong, commanded by Georg von Hessen-Dermstadt
  • 1702-1703 An Irish battalion was raised for Austria at Mirandola Italy commanded by Lt. Col. Franz Matthias MacDonnell
  • 1710-1711 Count Christopher Taaffe makes a final attempt at raising an Irish regiment.

Nine Irishmen gave their names as Colonels of Austrian Regiments.

  • No. 19 Dalton (1773)
  • No. 22 Roth (1741)
    • Lacy (1756)
  • No. 35 MacQuire (1763)
  • No 36. Browne (1740)
  • No.42 O'Nelly (1740)
  • No.43 Butler (1768)
  • No. 45 O'Kelly (1761)
  • No.46 MacQuire (1752)
  • No. 56 Nugent (1767)

Australia

The history of Irish migration to Australia dates back to 1791 when the first 155 Irish convicts arrived in Sydney. Furthermore, more than 300,000 Irish settlers migrated into Australia between 1840 to 1914. Almost 6,000 Irishmen served in the Australian forces in the first World War and nearly 900 were killed.[9]

Notables

Units

  • New South Wales Irish Rifles 1896-1930

Canada

Almost 20,000 Irish soldiers fought in the Canadian army during World War I[10]

Notables

Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Born in Ireland

Units

Category Canadian_Armed_Forces Wikitree
Category Canadian_Army Wikitree
  • Royal Irish Lancers - WWI
  • 121st Battalion (Western Irish), CEF
  • 199th Battalion Duchess of Connaught's Own Irish Rangers, CEF
  • 208th Battalion (Canadian Irish), CEF
  • The Irish Canadian Rangers. The regiment was raised Aug.29,1914 as the 55th Regiment of Montreal,Quebec. It was redesignated the Irish Canadian Rangers April 1,1920. The regiment was dissolved in 1919 but was carried forward on paper until disbanded on Dec.14,1936.

England (Great Britain)

Point of contact is Doug Straiton or Rich Devlin

Notables

For more England (Great Britain) Notables see Space Irish_Military_Diaspora_England

Units

For a list of all British units see British Army

France

Notables

For more French Notables see Irish Military Diaspora France

Units

Wikitree Category French_Armed_Forces

Latin America

Mexico

ON SEPT. 21, 1846, a column of more than 6,000 U.S. troops under the command of General Zachery Taylor attacked the Mexican town of Monterrey. The St. Patrick’s Battalion, which included both infantry but mostly artillerymen, was also home to volunteers straight from the old country, Irish immigrants from Canada and even a number of runaway American slaves sided with the overwhelmingly Catholic Mexican Republic. After their solid, but unsuccessful, performance at Monterrey, the St. Pats went on to fight in the battles of Buena Vista and Churubusco. The unit was eventually routed at the gates of the capital along with the rest of the Mexican army.

Notables

  • John Riley 1817-1850 Commander St. Patrick’s Battalion Wikipedia
  • John Murphy (Saint Patrick's Battalion Mexico) Wikipedia

Units

  • El Batallón de San Patricio or the St. Patrick’s Battalion. Wikipedia

New Zealand

Notables

Units

Netherlands

Notables

Units

Papal States

Notables

Four companies of St. Patrick's Battalion (440 soldiers and 16 officers). Company Commanders

  • Captain Timothy O'Mahony, County Cork, formerly of the Austrian Army.
  • Captain "Count' Frank Russell, County Louth.
  • Baron Guttenberg, Austria.
  • Captain Patrick O'Carroll, County Kildare, formerly of the18th Royal Irish Regt.

Units

  • Company of St. Patrick (Part of the Swiss Guard)

Additional reading:

Portugal

Notables

  • William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford Commander in Chief of the Portuguese Army 1768-1854 Wikipedia

Russia

Notables

Spain

Notables

Units

  • Regimento de Infantería de Hibernia (1705– )
    • Hibernia Regiment (raised 1709) in Honduras from 1782 to 1783[11]
  • Regimento de Infantería de Irlanda (1702– )
    • Irlanda Regiment (raised 1698) was stationed in Havana from 1770 to 1771
  • Regimento de Infantería de Limerick (1718– )
  • Regimento de Infantería de Ultonia (Ulster) (1718– )
    • Ultonia Regiment (raised 1709) stationed in Mexico from 1768 to 1771
  • Regimento de Infantería de Wauchop (1715– )
  • Regimento de Infantería de Waterford (1718– )[12]

Sweden

  • At the beginning of the Seventeenth Century about 6,000 men were shipped out of Ulster for the security of the plantation and sent to Sweden.[13]

United States

One British major general to testify at the House of Commons that "half the rebel Continental Army were from Ireland.[14]
More than 170,000 Irish-born Americans fought under the flag of the United States between 1861 and 1865.[15]

Notables

For more United States Notables see Irish Military Diaspora United States

Units

Surnames

Sources

  1. ↑ Irish Soldiers of the British Army
  2. ↑ celts in history
  3. ↑ How the Irish Saved Civilization
  4. ↑ A Concise History of Ireland by P.W.Joyce 24th ed. 601 pg.207
  5. ↑ President George W. Bush Proclamation, February 28, 2003
  6. ↑ Irish Great War Society
  7. ↑ Murphy, W.S. (1958). Irish Units in Imperial Service. Dublin: Irish Sword. pp. 74–5.
  8. ↑ Irish Times Nov 11, 2002
  9. ↑ Professor Jeff Kildea, Irish Times Sat, Mar 17, 2018
  10. ↑ https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/20000-irishmen-fought-for-canada-in-world-war-i
  11. ↑ Chartrand, Rene. The Spanish Army in North America. ISBN 978-1-84908-598-4. pp. 17, 19 and 39.
  12. ↑ The Irish Troops in the Service of Spain, 1709–1818
  13. ↑ Wikipedia Irish Troops sent to Sweden
  14. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Americans#17th_to_mid-19th_century
  15. ↑ http://home.earthlink.net/~rggsibiba/html/sib/sib3.html THE IRISH BRIGADE DURING THE AMERICAN WAR BETWEEN THE STATES

The goal of this project

Is to track the Irish that have been in non-Irish Armies

Members

Will you join us? Please post a comment here on this page, in G2G using the project tag, or send me a private message. Thanks!

Here are some of the tasks that I think need to be done. I'll be working on them, and could use your help.

  • Got any Ideas? Enter them here
  • Set up Categories (started)
  • Contact the Wikitree military people (done) need to follow up.
  • Set up stickers and Category samples and instructions
  • Set up contact with Notables group (started)
  • Coordinate with European Aristocrats Project (started)


Just For Fun

Collaboration on Irish Military Diaspora

  • Login to edit this profile and add images.
  • Private Messages: Contact the Profile Managers privately: Ireland Project WikiTree and Richard Devlin. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
  • Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)

Memories of Irish Military Diaspora

Photos of Irish Military Diaspora: 6

Irish soldiers C. 1520
(1/6) Irish soldiers C. 1520 Irish Military Diaspora. 1520
Colour of Dillon's Regiment, Irish Brigade (France)
(2/6) Colour of Dillon's Regiment, Irish Brigade (France) Irish Military Diaspora. 1691
Irish Brigade Chaplains, c.1862
(3/6) Irish Brigade Chaplains, c.1862 Irish Military Diaspora. Harrison's Landing, Va. 1862
Colours U.S.A. Irish Brigade
(4/6) Colours U.S.A. Irish Brigade Irish Military Diaspora. 1861
Bulkeley Irlandais C.1710 (Wild Geese)
(5/6) Bulkeley Irlandais C.1710 (Wild Geese) Irish Military Diaspora. 1710

G2G Forum



Comments on Irish Military Diaspora: 5


Login to post a comment.

Richard Devlin
This is a problem I've been running into also. I think we should go with the Name Fields for European Aristocrats at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Name_Fields_for_European_Aristocrats You also have to consider the source of the last name. Sometimes the English version is better. The problem gets worse before 1200 when they didn't have last names

posted by Richard Devlin

Valerie Willis
Wondering about a standard for writing early Irish bios. I am entering their Irish names as I find them, with their English version as an also name. I am using English place names and adding Irish versions in brackets.

It seems to me that Irish names are important for Irish identity, but people generally would be looking for English place names in the text. What do you think?

posted by Valerie Willis

Richard Devlin
Hi Valerie,

I would say yes, and note it as Constabulary for each country

This is getting a lot bigger than I thought. We might think of breaking it down to a page per country. It would be easier to edit as we get more people here.

posted by Richard Devlin

Valerie Willis
Would you count the Irish Constabulary as a military unit? Their training was unique and highly valued by G.B. It was the men of the RIC who were originally recruited to police the colonies in S.A. Australia, Canada (the Mounties) & N.Z. RIC Probably needs a page of its own one day.

posted by Valerie Willis

Valerie Willis
This page is coming up beautifully, it is going to be a great asset for the Irish project and for Irish history generally.

Have begun to work on the English Captain Humphrey Willis & others in the Nine Years War looking for Irish sources to tell their stories. Should help as a foundation for writing up some the Irish profiles already sitting in WT from that period.

posted by Valerie Willis

Categories: Ireland | Irish Military Diaspora