2nd Bn. The Royal Irish Regiment Black Mountain or Hazara Campaign
Sunday, 01 March 1987 00:00
Michael A. Kavanagh
Indian General Service Medal 1854 – 95 – Clasp Hazara 1888 by Michael A. Kavanagh On September 21st 1888, the 2nd Bn. The Royal Irish Regiment assembled as part of Major General J.W. Mc Queen's force, bound for the Black Mountain or Hazara district beyond the N.W. frontier of India – a wild and uninviting district some eighty miles east of Peshawar on the left bank of the river Indus. The tribesmen who lived in the Black Mountains were becoming rebellious, and refusing to pay fines imposed for previous offences, but the final straw came when a survey team was attacked and two British Officers killed. To prevent further outbreaks, and to avenge the deaths of the two slain officers General McQueen's force was to advance through the Black Mountains and subdue the offending tribes.
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Ace Irish Aviator is Honoured
Tuesday, 01 May 1990 00:00
Anonymous
“Sunday Independent” 30 July 1989The first Irishman to fly an airplane and the first man in the USA to ‘loop-the-loop’ was honoured in his home town of Arva, County Cavan yesterday. An inscribed granite seat dedicated to the memory of Lt. William Henry Blakley was unveiled in the market square by Minister of the Marine John Wilson. Lt. Blakley, who became chief test pilot of the US Air Service, left Ireland for America in 1905 and became famous not only as an aviator but as inventor, poet, boxing instructor, footballer and marathon runner. He set speed and altitude records, invented telephonic communication from plane to ground and was killed in a crash in 1929.
Rarities Department No. 12 - President’s Medal Irish Red Cross
Wednesday, 01 May 1991 00:00
Anonymous
This rather curious piece was instituted in July 1959 for award to members of the Society and others who had rendered outstanding service over a lengthy period. It is the only medal in the Republic which is presented in person by the President who is, ex officio, President of the Red Cross Society.
The insignia, which is hand made in 18ct gold, consists of a circular medallion with triangular projections top and bottom; overall dimensions 48mm high by 43mmm wide. The obverse of the medallion has an enamelled red cross on a white enamelled ground with the hand engraved inscription around BONN UACTARAN NA H-EIREANN (President of Ireland Medal). The reverse is plain with the small letters W.E. at the bottom. There is an ornamental ribbon bar attached to the medal by a jump ring and an engraved pin-back bar at the top. The ribbon, 34mm wide, is white with orange, white and green stripes at the edges, green outer.
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Irish Troops for Somalia (UNOSOM 2)
Sunday, 01 August 1993 00:00
Michael Walsh
Troops of the FIRST TRANSPORT COMPANY, formed specifically for deployment to Somalia, were reviewed recently in McKee Bks, Dublin by the Defence Minister Mr. David Andrews, T.D.
Since then the advance party has left Ireland aboard ship with the transport and supplies, the second element of the advance party is due to depart shortly, this includes the Unit C.O., Comdt. M. O’Donoghue. The remainder of the eighty strong Unit is due to fly out before the end of August.
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The Waterford Medal
Sunday, 01 May 1994 00:00
Ed Sullivan
by Ed SullivanThe Rising of 1798 left the City of Waterford virtually intact, whilst it is recorded that some unfortunates were hung from “Old Timbertoes,” Waterford’s wooden bridge spanning the river Suir, the murder and mayhem that had befallen the neighbouring towns such as New Ross and Enniscorthy had been avoided.
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Book Review: The Location of British Army Records
Tuesday, 01 February 1994 00:00
Michael Kavanagh
A short book review by Michael KavanaghHelp with research is always welcome, and when I find a book doing this, as with my own research I like to share it with fellow members. This book is a card covered wealth of information contained in eighty-eight packed pages entitled ‘The Location of British Army Records - A National Directory of World War I sources.’ Printed in 1984, it was published by ‘The Federation of Family History Societies,’ 96 Beaumond Street, Milehouse, Plymouth, Devon PL2 3AQ, England, and compiled by Norman H. Holding.
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Rev. Donal Vincent O'Sullivan
Sunday, 01 March 2009 00:00
Niall Leinster and Teddy Colligan
by Niall Leinster and Teddy Colligan Rev. Donal Vincent O'Sullivan was a Catholic Priest. He studied at St. Brendan's Seminary in Killarney and was a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) He was sent to the war by his Bishop as approximately 1,000 men from Killarney had enlisted. When he went out, 2 other priests returned to the parish. It would appear the Bishop operated a rota system of the priests from the parish. On the front he came under the command of Colonel Rawlinson. (I presume he was Head Chaplin). He fell (exact quote) at the cross roads in Aveluy beside the statue of Christ whilst attending a wounded soldier from the Cheshire Regiment. He was at the front at his own request as he left a note book in which he stated that he could do more good with wounded men there than dead men at the rear.
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Military Memorials in Ireland
Monday, 01 November 1993 00:00
Eamonn O' Toole
by Eamonn O’Toole There are few memorials in Northern Ireland to the insurrection of 1798, which is rather odd in view of the fact that most of the participants in Ulster were Presbyterian adherents of the United Irishmen, people who suffered grievously in the aftermath. Their descendants have chosen to ignore the memorable part played by these patriots in the struggle for political and religious emancipation.
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Southwest Asia Service Medal, USA
Monday, 01 June 1992 00:00
H. Mason-Fennell
by H. Mason-FennellThe medal awarded by the US Government for service in the 1991 Gulf War is known as the Southwest Asia Service Medal. It is given for service - no minimum period specified - between 2nd August 1990 and 16th January 1991 and after that with a 3/16th inch bronze star on the ribbon for participation in ‘Desert Storm.’ The Dept of Defence originally left the matter of precedence in the hands of the separate Services and, by some miracle, they all agreed to place it after the Vietnam Service Medal and immediately before the Humanitarian Service Medal.
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Japanese Medals for Cork Brothers
Tuesday, 01 November 1994 00:00
Michael Walsh
It’s well known that John Barry, a Wexford man, was the founder of the US Navy. But did you know that the Japanese Navy’s origins owe themselves to two twin brothers from Carrigaline, Co. Cork?
The brothers were John and Cornelius Collins and they served as instructors in the Japanese Navy for 15 years, from 1873 to 1888, and were awarded the highest honours, the Kir Ri Medals, and had their names included in the Order of the Rising Sun.
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Sgt. Pipers of the Munsters During WW1
Wednesday, 01 February 1995 00:00
Pat O’Daly
by Pat O’Daly Having read Chris Lentzy's article on the Sgt. Piper model of the Munsters, I wish to make the following observations. He states that the red triangle cloth patch (29th Division) was worn by the Munsters from Gallipoli onwards, this is incorrect. The 1st Battalion R.M.F. saw service at the Dardanelles and Suvla with the 29th Division from April 1915. After the evacuation from the Gallipoli Peninsula the Battalion arrived in France via Egypt on 22 March 1916. The Battalion had their first front line encounter on the Western Front on 13th April 1916. Orders were received on 24th April that they were to be temporarily withdrawn from the 29th Division. Further orders were received on 28th May that they were to join the 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division replacing the 9th Munsters. There was no further connection between the 1st Munsters and the 29th Division after the 28th May 1916. Their association with the 29th Division in France was less than 9 weeks.
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Royal Irish Regiment Flash
Monday, 01 May 1995 00:00
T. O’Neill
by T. O’Neill  Illustrated on right is the unofficial flash worn by members of the 1st (General Service) Bn, Royal Irish Regiment. The flash is worn on the right upper sleeve of the combat jacket. Designed by a former C.O. of the 1st Bn, it is expected to become official as it has received the approval of the Regiment’s Colonel in Chief, The Duke of York.
Na Fianna Eireann
Tuesday, 01 August 1995 00:00
Michael Kavanagh
by Michael Kavanagh Na Fianna Eireann means in English ‘Soldiers of Ireland,’ from the plural of ‘Fiann,’ meaning warrior and Eireann meaning Ireland. The name was first used to describe a junior sports organisation founded by Bulmer Hobson, in Belfast in 1902. Hobson formed the organisation for the playing of traditional Irish games, and to encourage political education amongst young people.
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Some Items of Interest from the Annual Report of the Royal Mint
Wednesday, 01 November 1995 00:00
G. Callaghan
by G. Callaghan1. The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal - Northern Ireland issue (“For Long Service in the Ulster Special Constabulary”) the Reports for 1957, 1962 and 1963 state that the following numbers were struck in each preceding year: 5,000, 1,100 and 250.
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Ambush in Niemba
Thursday, 01 February 1996 00:00
Denis Leahy
by Denis Leahy
It’s a lonely place the Congo for an Irishman to die,
Where the savage drums are beating and the jungle grass is high. It was the morning of November the 10th 1960. I was a section commander in the No 1 Platoon “B” Coy, 32nd Infantry Bn. We were stationed in Kamina Air Base in Katanga in the Republic of Congo, as part of the United Nations peace keeping force.
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Did The Munsters Have Pipes?
Wednesday, 01 May 1996 00:00
Tadhg Moloney
by Tadhg Moloney In some previous issues of the Journal, the question of whether the Royal Munster familiars had pipes was asked. It was first asked in Journal No. 7 by J. Brian Forde, and developed on by The Rev. Fr. Ashton then in Journal No. 25 posed a further question in relation to this, he asked “If the Munsters had pipes, which battalions?” He went on to state that while he agrees that the 1st battalion had pipes, the 2nd battalion did not. To substantiate his argument, he quotes Lieut. Colonel Holt, OBE, MC, who was an officer in the Munsters. He said “The 2nd bn never had pipes,“ there the matter rested, there was nothing further on the question until now.
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Arthur Shields, Actor and History Maker
Saturday, 01 February 1997 00:00
IDS MagUidhir
by IDS MagUidhirWithout doubt one of the most well known participants involved in the Easter Rising was the actor Arthur Shields. He and Sean Connolly, ICA Captain commanding the City Hall garrison, were both actors in the Abbey theatre and as a result of the rising and Sean Connelly’s death a play “The Spancel of Death” by the Mayo Fenian T.H. Nally, failed to run and unfortunately no script of the play survived.
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Campbell Joseph Kelly O.B.E., M.C., G.M., M.M.
Sunday, 01 December 1996 00:00
Paul Murphy
by Paul Murphy  Most people go through life without having to directly endure the tragedy of war. Most of those who are touched by war, whether as participants or innocent victims, seek to lessen the danger they face so that they may live through the tragedy. Only a very small minority of people transcend the danger, fear and suffering and repeatedly put themselves in the mouth of danger and likely death. Most of them become martyrs. All that remains of them is an inscription on a gravestone and the half forgotten memories of their family, friends and lovers. Some of them become heroes. We read about them in our school books and see them on television. They define our ideals of bravery to the extent that the deed becomes more important than the individual who performed it. The rest of them become the forgotten participants from old conflicts about which people no longer care. Captain Campbell Joseph Kelly is someone who comes very close to the latter. His name appears in a number of accounts of the Irish War of Independence as one of the lesser villains of the play. Otherwise he is unknown. I hope to help rectify that a little.
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A Long Buried Victoria Cross
Saturday, 01 October 1988 00:00
admin
It is a common and very ancient practice to place imperishable and easily identified articles such as coins in the foundation stones of important buildings but there seems to have been only one occasion when medals were used in such manner.
The ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS of 24 May 1856 gave an account of the laying of the foundation stone of the military hospital at Netley, near Southampton, by Queen Victoria. In it we are told that the Queen, having formally approved the plans for the new building, placed them, together with some coins, medals and a cross in a copper box “prepared for the event.” This was then sealed in the massive foundation stone which “the Queen tried with plummet and level and tapped in the usual form, taking counsel with Lord Panmure as to the correct and truly Masonic method of doing so.”
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New Ambulance Corps Medal
Tuesday, 01 May 1990 00:00
admin
The Ambulance Corps of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta was formed in 1938 and in 1988 a special medal was created to mark the golden jubilee. It was awarded to all personnel who were on establishment during 1988 and consists of a circular gilt coloured medal with a ring suspension. On the obverse is a shield bearing the Maltese Cross and the inscription ORDER OF MALTA AMBULANCE CORPS while the reverse has the legend GOLDEN JUBILEE with the dates 1938-1988 below. The ribbon, 35mm wide, is white with a wide green centre stripe and two outer red stripes.
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