Royal Irish Regiment (1992) - 1992 Creation

1992 Creation

With an antecedence reaching back to 1689, the regiment was formed in 1992. The creation followed the Options for Change proposals which recommended through 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 a regiment with eleven battalions:

• 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, conducting counter-terrorism operations in Northern Ireland under Operation Banner. The 1st and 2nd Battalions could serve worldwide as general service battalions.

Because of its size, the regiment was removed from the King's Division and existed outside the divisions of infantry. In 1993, the two regular battalions were amalgamated as 1 R IRISH. In 2001, the number of Home Service battalions reduced to three:

• 2nd Battalion — amalgamation of 7th and 9th Battalions
• 3rd Battalion — amalgamation of 3rd and 6th Battalions
• 4th Battalion — amalgamation of 4th and 5th Battalions