Medal Society of Ireland

Scholar, sportsman, schoolmaster, and soldier

by Roger Willoughby

The Faussets were a prominent Anglo-Irish family, with several members in the church, constabulary and other professions. Robert Fausset was born in about 1812 in Co Fermanagh, the son of Charles Fausset (noted as a Solicitor in Chancery at 2 North Anne Street, Dublin in 1820; Pigot, 1820). Educated at Trinity College Dublin, Fausset became a scholar of the college in 1830 and graduated with a BA degree in 1835. He then served for a time as a lieutenant with the Fermanagh Yeomanry. On 15 November 1842 he married Jane Elizabeth de Clifford (1819-), daughter of Herbert John de Clifford (c1789-1855) and Lucinda Hamilton (1793-) of Cloonlurg, Sligo. Appointed to the Irish Constabulary, he became a Sub-Inspector (third class) in on 2 May 1843. Promoted County Inspector on 26 September 1868, Robert Fausset died on 2 January 1877 in Armagh. From his marriage to Sligo woman Jane Elizabeth De Clifford, Fausset had among other children two sons: Charles (1843-1925) and William Willoughby Bernard (1853/5-1918).

by Liam Dodd

The military barracks along the river Liffey started its life in 1798 as the Royal Artillery Barracks, Islandbridge Dublin. Later in the 19th Century it was extended northward with the addition of a cavalry barracks. The first name change of the barracks came after the War of Independence to Clancy after Peadar Clancy. The Irish Defence Forces would remain in the barracks until the Government and Minster of Defence decided to sell, as it was surplus to requirments. Initially in 1998 when there was talk of the Department of Defence selling off the land, Dublin City Council engaged in negotiations which would have meant that the site would be used for social and affordable housing. These negotiations collapsed and the site went for tender with Florence Properties buying the land and barracks in 2002 for more than 25 million. With a frontage of over 170 metres to the River Liffey the new owner changed the name to Clancy Quay.

The Delhi Durbar Medal was issued to commemorate the Coronation Durbar of 1911 and was issued in gold and silver. Just over 200 gold medals were issued to Indian rulers and senior government officials. About 30,000 silver medals were issued, with about 10,000 going to the British and Indian Armies - 21 of these wre issued to the 1st Bn. of the Royal Irish Regiment. A clasp was issued to recipients of the 1911 Coronation Medal (approx. 130 to the Indian army).

The medal was issued unnamed with a dark blue ribbon having two thin red centre stripes. 

By Derek A.J. Lister

After collecting medals in general for over thirty years it is only within the last five years that I have become interested in the Indian General Service Medal 1854, (I.G.S. ’54) especially bar ‘PEGU’, to officers only. Part of my collection is devoted to the 18th. R.I.R. (Royal Irish Regiment) who took a leading part in this campaign, and like most other Regiments involved lost most of the very heavy casualties to disease rather than to enemy action.  

D-FCA 1959-1968