Irish Regiments In The Great War

Fighting Irish is a meticulous and engaging account of the First World War from the perspective of the men of the Irish Regiments of the British Army, revealing the extent of the Irish military commitment to the Great War effort from 1914-1918. Startling and sympathetic matters, from campaign strategy to the soldiers’ intimate war experiences, are addressed with fascinating documentary evidence and poignant eye-witness accounts. Persisting humour and unexpected trials; mounting reputations and the mundane drudgery of routine military life – all is touched upon in the lives of these men, and undercut by the pervasive loss of life. Whether fighting at Ypres, the Somme, Gallipoli, Kostorino or Nablus, the story of the Irish Regiments is compelling and evocative, with reasons for enlistment as varied as the men themselves. Though entrenched in warfare, many minds were set on the increasing unrest at home, swaying their interests and shaping the communications they left to posterity. Fighting Irish defines the diverse backgrounds of all those who served with the Irish regiments in these years, recounting their deeds through exacting historical research within a gripping and affecting narrative.

The British army was almost unique among the European armies of the Great War in that it did not suffer from a serious breakdown of discipline or collapse of morale. It did, however, inevitably suffer from disciplinary problems. While attention has hitherto focused on the 312 notorious "shot at dawn" cases, many thousands of British soldiers were tried by court martial during the Great War. This book will be essential reading for military and Irish historians and their students, and will interest any general reader concerned with how units maintain discipline and morale under the most trying conditions.

"This book, written by some of our leading historians, tells the story of the Great War in Irish history which saw over 200,000 Irish soldiers fighting. It relays the experience of ordinary Irish people during the war and chronicles the effect this war had, and still has, on Irish society. Soldiers in the trenches, volunteer nurses, politicians, women and the workforce are all examined. Archival letters, diaries, wills and illustrations are reproduced which document the pride, fear, anxiety and sorrow felt by soldiers, nurses, sweethearts, families and friends."--BOOK JACKET.

Nearly a third of a million Irishmen fought in the Great War, 50,000 of these died. All were volunteers, as there was no conscription in Ireland. The Irish were mobilized in three divisions - the 10th, the 16th and the 36th as well as in the traditional Irish regiments. In all, 72 battalions were raised and saw active service. While the achievements of the 36th - especially on the Somme - are well known, this book looks at this regiment as well as other, less well-known regiments active during the 1914-1918 war. This book should be of interest to students of Irish history, military history or to a general readership.

This volume brings together new research whilst re-evaluating older assumptions about the immediate and continuing impact of World War I on Ireland. It explores some lesser-known aspects of Ireland’s war years as well as including studies of more traditional areas. Individual articles cover military, social, cultural, political, and economic aspects of the Great War, as well as reflecting on continuity and change within Irish historiography. In doing so, they analyze how the experience and memory of the War have contributed to identity formation and the legitimization of political violence.

"Here are the voices of ordinary soldiers providing authentic, if often subjective, commentaries on a disillusioning war in which there were no winners [World War I, 1914-1918]."--Jacket.

The Great War of 1914ñ18 saw the Irish soldier make his greatest sacrifice on Britainís behalf. Nearly 135,000 Irishmen volunteered (conscription was never applied in Ireland) in addition to the 50,000 Irish who were serving with the regular army and the reserves on 4 August 1914. Within a few weeks of the outbreak of the war no less than three Irish divisions ñ the 10th (Irish), 16th (Irish) and 36th (Ulster) ñ were formed from Irishmen, Catholic and Protestant, who responded to Lord Kitchenerís call to arms. An estimated 35,000 Irish-born soldiers were killed before the armistice came in November 1918. Over 4,000 of those who died were with the 16th (Irish) Division. Yet, in spite of these facts, serious historical study of Irelandís major involvement in the War has been neglected. Indeed Easter 1916 dominates Irish historiography to such an extent that the period 1914ñ18 is rarely considered as a distinct era in Irish history.