A Grim Toll: Irish Soldiers' Sacrifice In Afghanistan

Since 1960, 86 Irish soldiers have died serving the United Nations. One of the earliest major overseas deployments of Irish troops took place in 1960, when Ireland joined a UN force in the Congo. Twenty-six Irish soldiers died in the Congo, nine of whom were killed in a single incident called the Niemba Ambush. Irish troops have also served as UN peacekeepers in Cyprus since 1964, without suffering any casualties.

Irish soldiers have been deployed on peacekeeping missions since 1958

The first peacekeeping mission in 1958 involved sending a small number of observers to Lebanon. Since then, Irish soldiers have served in many other countries, including the Congo, Cyprus, the Sinai desert, Lebanon, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Liberia, Chad, Syria, and the Golan Heights.

Irish peacekeepers are highly respected internationally, and the country has a proud tradition of participation in UN and UN-supported peacekeeping missions. The Irish Army has a range of roles, including defending the state against armed aggression, aiding the civil power, and participating in multinational peace support.

The Irish Army has an active establishment of 7,520 personnel and a reserve establishment of 3,869. However, as of April 2023, it had only 6,322 active personnel and 1,382 reserve personnel. The Army is organised into two brigades and participates in the European Union Battlegroups.

A total of 86 Irish soldiers have died in the service of the United Nations since 1960.

86 Irish soldiers have died serving the United Nations since 1960

Since joining the United Nations in 1955, the Irish Army has been deployed on many peacekeeping missions. In total, 86 Irish soldiers have died serving the United Nations since 1960.

The first of these peacekeeping missions took place in 1958 when a small number of observers were sent to Lebanon. The first major overseas deployment came in 1960 when Irish troops were sent to the Congo as part of the UN force ONUC. This mission proved to be the most costly enterprise for the Army since the Civil War, with 26 Irish soldiers losing their lives. Nine of these soldiers were killed in a single incident called the "Niemba Ambush", where an eleven-man Irish patrol was ambushed by local tribesmen.

Since then, Irish battalions have been deployed to numerous regions, including Lebanon, Cyprus, the Sinai, East Timor, Liberia, and Europe. Irish soldiers have also been involved in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan region of Syria, aiming to contain the Syrian civil war.

In addition to peacekeeping missions, the Irish Army also participates in multinational peace support, crisis management, and humanitarian relief operations. The Army provides aid to the civil power and assists the Garda Síochána, the police force in Ireland. Overall, the Irish Army has a proud history of serving and supporting the United Nations, often in dangerous and volatile regions.

The Irish Army has an active establishment of 7,520

The Irish Army, also known as the Defence Forces, is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland. It has an active establishment of 7,520 personnel and a reserve establishment of 3,869. However, as of April 2023, the number of active personnel had decreased to 6,322, with 1,382 in the reserve.

The Irish Army is organised into two brigades: the 1st Brigade, responsible for military operations in the southern region, and the 2nd Brigade, responsible for military operations in the northern area of the country. The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) is the special operations force of the Irish Defence Forces, with roles in both wartime special operations and anti-terrorism.

The Army has nine specialist corps, each designated as either combat, combat support, or combat service support. These include the Infantry Corps, Artillery Corps, Cavalry Corps, Engineer Corps, Ordnance Corps, Medical Corps, Transport Corps, Military Police Corps, and the Communications and Information Services Corps.

The Irish Army has a long history of involvement in United Nations peacekeeping operations and has been deployed on many peacekeeping missions worldwide. It also participates in the European Union Battlegroups and provides aid to civil power within Ireland.

The Irish Army traces its origins to the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the guerrilla organisation that fought British government forces during the Irish War of Independence. In February 1922, the Provisional Government began recruiting volunteers for the new National Army, which later became the Irish Army.

The Irish Army has struggled to maintain strength and as of April 2023 has only 6,322 active personnel

The Irish Army, also known as the Defence Forces, has struggled to maintain its strength in recent years. As of April 2023, the Irish Army had only 6,322 active personnel, a significant decrease from its previous establishment strength of 7,520. This decline in numbers has resulted in a crisis for the Defence Forces, which now faces challenges in recruitment and retention of military personnel.

The Defence Forces encompass the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, and Reserve Defence Forces. As of May 2023, the total permanent personnel across all branches was 7,764, a decrease from 8,529 in September 2020. This falls short of the established strength of 9,500, as outlined in the White Paper on defence published in 2015. The decline in numbers has had a particularly significant impact on the Naval Service, which has been forced to mothball several ships due to a lack of crew.

To address these issues, the Irish government has proposed plans to increase the defence sector budget and expand the number of civil and military personnel. The plan aims to move towards "Level of Action 2" by increasing the total personnel to 11,500. This includes the establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs to design a regeneration plan for the Reserve Defence Forces.

The Irish Army has a long history of involvement in United Nations peacekeeping operations and plays a crucial role in defending the state and maintaining internal security. With its current strength, the Irish Army continues to carry out its duties and participate in multinational peace support and humanitarian relief operations.

The Irish Army is organised into two brigades

The Irish Army, also known as "the Army" within Ireland, is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland. It has an active establishment of 7,520 and a reserve establishment of 3,869. The Irish Army is organised into two brigades: the 1st Brigade and the 2nd Brigade.

The 1st Brigade is headquartered at Collins Barracks in Cork and is responsible for the counties of Carlow, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford. The brigade consists of the following units:

• 1st Infantry Battalion, in Galway
• 3rd Infantry Battalion, in Kilkenny
• 12th Infantry Battalion, in Limerick
• 1st Artillery Regiment, in Cork, with L118/119 105mm light guns and 120mm mortars
• 1st Cavalry Squadron, in Cork
• 1st Engineer Group, in Cork
• 1st Supply and Transport Group, in Cork
• 1st Ordnance Group, in Cork
• 1st Field CIS Company, in Cork
• 1st Military Police Company, in Cork

The 2nd Brigade is headquartered at the Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin and is responsible for the counties of Cavan, Donegal, Dublin, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath, and Wicklow. The brigade consists of the following units:

• 6th Infantry Battalion, in Athlone
• 7th Infantry Battalion, in Dublin
• 27th Infantry Battalion, in Dundalk
• 28th Infantry Battalion, in Ballyshannon
• 2nd Artillery Regiment, in Athlone, with L118/119 105mm light guns and 120mm mortars
• 2nd Cavalry Squadron, in Dublin
• 2nd Engineer Group, in Athlone
• 2nd Supply and Transport Group, in Athlone
• 2nd Ordnance Group, in Athlone
• 2nd Field CIS Company, in Dublin
• 2nd Military Police Company, in Dublin

In addition to the two brigades, the Irish Army also includes the Defence Forces Training Centre, which operates independently of the brigade structure and is based at the Curragh Camp. The Army Ranger Wing is also based at the Curragh Camp.

The Irish Army has a long history of involvement in peacekeeping missions around the world and plays a crucial role in defending the state and maintaining internal security within Ireland.

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