# Irish Army

This year

2023

Voices

Irish history: 'For the first time since the Civil War, soldiers found themselves in combat'

Dr Eoin Kinsella shares an excerpt from his book documenting the evolution of the Irish Defence Forces.

14.0k

Updated

Jul 10th 2023, 11:00 PM

# women of honour

Govt to carry out 'study of deaths by suicide' in the Defence Forces over past 20 years

Micheál Martin met with the Women of Honour group to discuss the report yesterday.

13.5k

Updated

Mar 28th 2023, 2:00 PM

# troops abroad

Lebanon troops on what the military needs: 'Pay could be better - we're months away from home'

The coming week marks the first anniversary of the Commission on the Defences Forces report.

18.1k

Feb 4th 2023, 12:05 AM

# women of honour

Micheál Martin to receive Women of Honour report today

A independent group has been reviewing allegations of bullying and harassment in the defence forces over the last year.

3.7k

Feb 2nd 2023, 3:00 PM

# Defence Forces

Women of Honour group have received no updates and await independent report

Micheál Martin said last week that he plans to fulfill the recommendations within the report.

6.3k

Jan 30th 2023, 2:38 PM

Voices

Under the shadow of Hezbollah: 'I'm not naïve, I know political assassins are rarely found'

The widow of a murdered Hezbollah critic tells journalist Hannah McCarthy of Lebanon’s culture of impunity.

14.6k

Jan 21st 2023, 8:00 PM

Last year

2022

# Donal de Roiste

Former army lieutenant Dónal de Róiste welcomes apology for 'flawed and unfair' dismissal

A review has found that his dismissal more than 50 years ago ‘was made on foot of a fundamentally flawed and unfair process’.

20.1k

Dec 8th 2022, 9:36 AM

All time

# Vice Admiral Mark Mellett

Outgoing head of Defence Forces says Government cuts to military have caused 'frustration'

Vice Admiral Mark Mellett is set to retire in the coming months from his role as Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

In a wide-ranging interview Mellett spoke at length about funding difficulties.

He also believes that the future of defence lies in a combination of cyber and traditional roles.

37.5k

Aug 1st 2021, 12:05 AM

Voices

Opinion: 'He was a local hero after Jadotville - but that's not how he remembers it'

Daughter of Tadgh Quinn, Helena Quinn recounts the effect the siege of Jadotville had on her father and welcomes recent moves to properly recognise the men of “A” Company.

39.4k

Nov 16th 2020, 5:30 PM

# capital loss

All-Ireland winning Dublin duo sign for AFLW side Melbourne - making it 18 Irish for 2020

All-Star defender Sinéad Goldrick and key forward Niamh McEvoy become the first Dubs to join the Irish invasion Down Under.

38.7k

Oct 2nd 2019, 12:00 PM

Voices

Opinion: Defence Forces personnel are the lowest paid workers in the public service

Oglaigh na h’Eireann is reaching a tipping point, a point of no return, in terms of recruitment, retention and falling numbers, writes Tom Clonan.

35.6k

Jun 1st 2019, 7:30 AM

# Irish Army

More Irish troops to be sent on peacekeeping missions under proposed new plans

An initiative, which is to be spearheaded by Ireland, proposes the introduction of “rotation cycles”.

15.0k

Nov 20th 2018, 3:22 PM

# migrant crisis

Irish soldiers who served in the Mediterranean to receive extra €15 a day

There had been concerns raised previously about soldiers struggling to travel to work.

15.2k

Apr 10th 2017, 9:17 PM

# defend with pride

"Your sexual orientation doesn't matter" - the Defence Forces launches its first LGBT network

Defend With Pride is a resource put in place to “support all our personnel” says Troop Commander Paul Fleming.

10.4k

Oct 22nd 2016, 6:20 AM

# Under fire

This is what it's like to be an Irish soldier... in virtual reality

The Ploughing Championships can be a dangerous place.

15.2k

Sep 25th 2016, 8:00 PM

# Glass Ceiling

Meet the Defence Forces' first female colonel

Maureen O’Brien joined the Defence Forces in 1981 and previously served in the Lebanon, Western Sahara and East Timor

28.8k

Jul 7th 2016, 6:30 PM

# GAA

From facing jihadi groups in Syria to looking for glory in Croke Park

Meet two of the GAA’s soldiers who will be gracing the national stadium tomorrow.

36.0k

Sep 12th 2015, 9:30 PM

# SIR YES SIR

'It's the army, not kindergarten': RTÉ's Recruits doc got quite a reaction on Twitter last night

The new RTÉ documentary showed behind the scenes footage of Irish recruits being put through their paces. What did you make of it?

61.2k

149

Sep 1st 2015, 1:00 PM

# no woman no cry

There are very, very few women in the Irish Army...

And none at all with rank more senior than lieutenant colonel.

28.0k

Jun 21st 2015, 8:45 AM

# Irish Eyes

Here's what St. Patrick's Day looks like to Irish soldiers in war-torn hotspots

Irish troops have been mixing duty and celebration across the globe today

18.8k

Mar 17th 2015, 8:00 PM

# keeping the peace

Irish troops on high alert after rebels capture Golan Heights border crossing

But they’re safe at the moment.

11.0k

Aug 28th 2014, 9:27 AM

# tanks a tousand

Even Irish army tanks need L plates, you know

Is there a licensed driver with him? We need to know this.

3.6k

May 15th 2014, 1:45 PM

# WWII

TV documentary reveals the stories of Irishmen who fought for the British in WWII

The RTE programme reveals first hand accounts from the men who fought against the Germans in the Second World War.

11.2k

Nov 12th 2013, 7:30 AM

# Bomb

Viable IED made safe in Finglas

It brings to 27 the total amount of IEDs made safe by the Army Bomb Disposal Team so far this year.

6.0k

Mar 27th 2013, 10:18 AM

# Michael Collins

First military census shows pressures faced by 1922 army

Head of the new National Army Michael Collins faced serious administrative challenges as new force took over British barracks.

14.1k

Nov 13th 2012, 8:23 AM

# We want you

Video: Why don't the Defence Forces make recruitment ads like this any more?

With iconic shots and a funky remix of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony you’d be hard pressed to not want to sign up with the Defence Forces after watching this…

9.4k

May 12th 2012, 8:45 AM

# Bygone days

VIDEO: How the Defence Forces used the latest technology... Morse code

This archive footage shows the Irish Army in action – and battling with their code booklets.

4.1k

Apr 13th 2012, 11:21 AM

# Camp Shamrock

Bombs, Skype, and no tea: What Christmas is like for the Irish troops in Lebanon

A lot of us take for granted that we’ll spend Christmas Day with our families. But for Irish troops in Lebanon, Christmas is like any other day on patrol. Niamh Fleming-Farrell talks to the troops to find out what it’s like.

5.7k

Dec 25th 2011, 9:30 AM

# Peacekeeping

Two hundred Irish troops heading for Lebanon in the morning

The soldiers will leave Dublin Airport at 2.30am to join the rest of the 104th Battalion on a peacekeeping mission. The youngest is 20-years-old.

1.0k

Jun 26th 2011, 4:07 PM

# Defence Forces

Defence Forces Ombudsman says public sector moratorium affecting redress

Annual report’s highlights are available in four languages after a record number of international visitors to the Ombudsman’s website.

486

Jun 21st 2011, 11:55 AM

# Lebanon

440 Irish troops prepare for peacekeeping deployment to Lebanon

Irish soldiers were first sent to Lebanon in 1978. Last month, Minister Shatter appointed Frank Callanan SC to review information surrounding the deaths of three Irish soldiers there in 1989.

2.1k

May 4th 2011, 3:18 PM

# IED

Defence forces called out to dispose of Limerick city explosive device

The defence forces were called to a private property in the city in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

798

Feb 23rd 2011, 11:23 AM

# Peacekeeping

Irish troops may be set for Lebanon return

The chief of the Defence Forces, Sean McCann, says 500 Irish troops could be set to return to the Middle East.

791

Oct 6th 2010, 8:00 PM