Irish Military Diaspora - Britain

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 British military forces consisted of Irish men), 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, and Ireland being a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801-1922
• the continuing close links following the 26-county Irish Free State's evolving constitutional and legal independence from the UK
• the self-esteem of the nobility and landed gentry that 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 British population, compared to the 20th century. for example, in 1800 Ireland's population was 8 million, not far below the population of England at 10 million, a ratio of 1:1.25 . By 1900 the ratio had fallen astonishingly to 1:12. This shows how the immediately pre- and post-1900 enlistment was proportionately very high, even though the absolute numbers seem low.

Some of those with notable or outstanding careers included:-

Others were not born in Ireland, but were born of Irish parents, such as:-

Victoria Cross recipients:-

The Victoria Cross, the British Army’s highest award for valour, has been awarded to 188 persons who were born in Ireland or had full Irish parentage. Of these 30 were awarded in the Crimean War, 52 in the Indian Mutiny, and 46 Irish VCs in numerous other British Empire campaigns between 1857 to 1914. In the 20th century, 37 Irish VCs were awarded in World War I, and eight in World War II.