UNIFIL
113-746: In April 1980, three Irish Army peacekeeping soldiers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were shot by the South Lebanon Army also known as the DFF, near At Tiri , in the South Lebanon security belt , two of whom died and one was seriously injured. On 6 April 1980, clashes between UNIFIL peacekeepers and the South Lebanon Army (an Israeli-backed Lebanese militia) began at At Tiri, when
226-552: A 65 lb combat load in the Dublin & Wicklow mountain range. On average candidates get between four and five hours sleep per night. Officer and senior NCO candidates are subjected to separate, rigorous scrutiny of their planning and decision-making skills to determine their suitability. The length of Module 1 is 3 weeks similar to the previous selection course length. Typically 85% of candidates fail Module 1. Between 2000 and 2005, approximately 240 attempted selection, including
339-454: A German-led ISTAR Task Force, benefiting from the protections and medical support in place for the larger force. 14 ARW operators are reported to be involved per rotation. MINUSMA is the most dangerous UN peacekeeping mission. As of October 2019, 204 peacekeepers had been killed out of a total of 15,000 deployed uniformed personnel. It is the first overseas operational deployment for the ARW as
452-532: A UN post near the Israeli border to provide supplies. The party consisted of three Irish soldiers (Private John O'Mahony (from Killarney ), Private Thomas Barrett (from Cork ), and Private Derek Smallhorne (from Dublin )), an American officer named Harry Klein, a French officer named Patrick Vincent, and two journalists. They were intercepted by the SLA and taken prisoners. The US officer, Harry Klein, later noted that
565-441: A cash shortage was triggered at the height of the 2008/2009 financial crisis. As of 1 December 2015, 493 Defence Force personnel are serving in 12 different missions throughout the world including Lebanon ( UNIFIL ), Syria ( UNDOF ), Middle East ( UNTSO ), Kosovo ( KFOR ), German-led Battle Group 2016 and other observer and staff appointments to UN, EU, OSCE and PfP posts. The largest deployments include: All enlisted members of
678-743: A ceasefire in the Baidoa region. Over 100 Irish troops took part in the mission. On one regular return journey, from protecting a food convoy/supply run to Mogadishu , Irish and Indian UN troops were ambushed by insurgents. Following an intense firefight, there were more than 10 enemies killed with no Irish or Indian fatalities reported. Following this, the Irish contingent was supplied with armoured vehicles as they had previously been relying on soft-skinned vehicles mounted with heavy calibre machine guns. In October 1999, No 1 IRCON (Irish Contingent), an ARW platoon of 30 Rangers deployed to East Timor as part of
791-403: A checkpoint near At Tiri were attacked by members of the South Lebanon Army (an Israeli-backed Christian militia). Private Stephen Griffin, of the 46th Irish Battalion, was shot in the head and died. Two days later, a party of three Irish soldiers, an American officer, a French officer and two journalists were travelling to a UN post near the Israeli border when they were intercepted by members of
904-473: A defined radius. Training is carried out nationwide at a number of Department of Defence properties, including Lynch Camp in Kilworth , County Cork . The ARW is on immediate call 24/7, 365 days a year for operations throughout the state and abroad. The ARW is on 96 hours' notice to deploy overseas on special operations. The ARW is on a 1-hour alert for anti-terrorist operations to deploy anywhere on land in
1017-457: A female, with 50 successful. Modules 2 to 4 consist of assessment and training in weapons and marksmanship, live-fire tactical training, special operations tactics, techniques, and procedures (green role) and counter-terrorism tactics, techniques, and procedures (black role), combat water survival, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Extraction (SERE), communications and medical training. Upon successful completion of Module 3, candidates are awarded
1130-473: A former IRA unit (the Dublin Guard ) assumed its new role as the first unit of the new National Army and took over Beggars Bush Barracks , the first British barracks to be handed to the new Irish Free State. The National Army's first Commander-in-Chief, Michael Collins , envisaged the new Army being built around the pre-existing IRA, but over half of this organisation rejected the compromises required by
1243-650: A four-month deployment followed by No 2 IRCON. In February 2000, INTERFET handed over command of military operations to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). No 2 IRCON completed its four-month deployment in June 2000 with subsequent rotations from infantry platoons. The Battalion Group had several contacts (firefights) and a number of incidents with threat forces sustaining no casualties. The ARW
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#17327721594051356-658: A group of civilians being held hostage by renegade Liberian gunmen. Acting on intelligence, twenty heavily armed Rangers were dropped by helicopter, freeing the hostages and capturing the rebel leader. In all the following battalions were involved in 2,745 cumulative missions under UNMIL: In August 2007, the Irish government announced that 200 Irish soldiers would be sent to support the United Nations effort as part of EUFOR Chad/CAR . As of 2008 500 troops had been deployed – 54 of whom were Irish Army Rangers . In announcing
1469-680: A large number of aircraft to land or take off. Three Irish aircraft were involved in the operation. In October 2019 it was reported that the ARW were deployed to the Syrian border to extract Lisa Smith - a former Irish Army soldier who converted to Islam before fleeing Ireland to join ISIS - and her two-year-old child in a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) after the 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria resulted in Kurdish-held ISIS prisoners escaping, including Smith, although
1582-588: A new departure for the Defence Forces, as all the infantry sections were drawn from the 2nd Infantry Battalion. Late 2000 saw the 12th Infantry supply 4 Ircon. Nine contingents in total were deployed including 4 Infantry Battalion, 5 Infantry Battalion, 28 Infantry Battalion, 1 Cathlán Coisithe, and finally the 6 Infantry Battalion under UNMISET until May 2004. After November 2003, Irish troops were stationed in Liberia as part of UNMIL . The Liberian mission
1695-779: A new special forces unit with a counter-terrorist capability following an increase in international and national terrorism, such as the 1972 Munich massacre in Germany (then West Germany ) and a number of hostage-takings by the Provisional IRA (such as the Balcombe Street siege ). The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) was formally established, in accordance with the Defence Act, by Government order on 16 March 1980. The ARW received its colours in 1981; Black, Red and Gold, signifying Secrecy, Risk and Excellence. In 1991,
1808-475: A normally busy militia checkpoint. Ultimately, it was intercepted by the militia, who brought the convoy's occupants to a derelict schoolhouse before removing the Irish peace-keepers. The party was taken to a school building and held in a bathroom, where they were interrogated. The SLA men asked all of the captives their nationalities, and singled out the three Irishmen. One of the SLA men [Mahmoud] began talking about his late brother [Massoud]. According to O'Mahony
1921-489: A period that coincided with the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath offensive in 1996. Most Irish troops were withdrawn from Lebanon in 2001, following the Israeli evacuation of their forces the previous year. However, 11 Irish troops remained there as observers. They were present during the 2006 Lebanon War . After this conflict, UNIFIL was reinforced and a mechanised infantry company of 165 Irish troops
2034-417: A significant change in the government's attitude, and by early 1941 seven brigades were mobilised. On 9 May 1941, Minister for Defence Oscar Traynor approved the establishment of the 1st Division and 2nd Division , both of which encompassed six brigades, leaving the 5th Brigade to remain independent, as part of Curragh Command. This expansion was undertaken in the face of potential invasions from either
2147-684: A specialist team such as combat diving team, free fall parachuting team and sniping team. An example of an operational task unit is the Special Operations Maritime Task Unit (SOMTU). Support elements provide expertise in bomb disposal , medical treatment, maritime and aviation operations. The Army Ranger Wing is headquartered at the Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC) in the Curragh Camp, with Army Rangers required to live within
2260-431: A unit, in ten years. In February 2020, three ARW personnel were injured when an IED blast hit the armoured patrol vehicle they were travelling in, 70 km east of Gao . The personnel were airlifted to hospital but after two weeks were reported to be "back to work". In October 2005, Rangers and Arabic -speaking intelligence officers from Military Intelligence (J2) were deployed to Baghdad , Iraq , following
2373-430: Is Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm in the Irish language which translates into English as "Army Ranger Wing". Fianóglach (representing "Ranger") is an amalgamation of two Irish words. Fiann is closest to the word "warrior", and refers to the ancient band of warriors known as Na Fianna in Irish mythology . Óglach literally means "young soldier", and is often translated as '"volunteer". Use in this context refers to
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#17327721594052486-537: Is equipped with SINCGAR ITT , Harris and Racal communications equipment, which have an inbuilt encryption and frequency-hopping systems. It is also equipped with satellite communications, through the ARW C3 (Command, Control & Communications) function and in cooperation with the Communications and Information Services Corps (CIS). This means ARW teams can communicate with their GHQ from anywhere in
2599-735: Is not uncommon for some to spend 15 years in the unit. The ARW has its own purpose-built tactical training facilities, including shooting ranges, kill houses and various urban and rural settings. The main facility is known as "Tac Town", based in the Curragh . Other ranges are located in County Wicklow . These facilities are also made available to the ERU . The ARW has trained with other military and law enforcement special operations forces, including; The ARW and ERU train specifically for marauding terrorist firearms/explosive attacks. In 2015,
2712-623: Is organised into two brigades. As well as maintaining its primary roles of defending the State and internal security within the State, since 1958 the Army has had a continuous presence in peacekeeping missions around the world. The Army also participates in the European Union Battlegroups . The Air Corps and Naval Service support the Army in carrying out its roles. The roles of the Army are: The Defence Forces, including
2825-581: The 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Regiment (1 RNZIR) Battalion Group together with an infantry company from the Canadian 3rd Battalion, Royal 22 Regiment bringing the battalion to full strength. The Battalion Group based in Suai was responsible for securing the south-west of the country from pro-Indonesian militia and Indonesian military (TNI) that included a long section of the border between East and Indonesian controlled West Timor . No 1 IRCON completed
2938-736: The Allied or Axis powers (both of whom had drawn up contingency plans to invade Ireland ). In the Christmas Raid of 1939, the remnants of the IRA stole a large quantity of the Irish Army's reserve ammunition from its dump at the Magazine Fort in Dublin's Phoenix Park . While this was seen as an embarrassment for the Irish Army, most of it was recovered. For the duration of the war, Ireland, while formally neutral, tacitly supported
3051-747: The Anglo-Irish Treaty which established the Irish Free State, and favoured upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic which had been established in 1919. As such, from January 1922 until late June and the outbreak of the Irish Civil War , there existed two antagonistic armed forces: the National Army, built from a nucleus of pro-Treaty IRA units, and armed and paid by the Provisional Government; and
3164-485: The European Union Force Chad/CAR based at Camp Croci. The ARW was an Initial Entry Force together with other EUFOR special forces that conducted special reconnaissance within the Irish assigned south eastern Chad area of operations. The ARW was later based at Multi-National Base-South at Goz Beïda known as Camp Ciara in the area of operations providing security during the construction of
3277-533: The Fianóglach shoulder tab and are provisionally assigned to the unit. Upon successful completion of Module 4, candidates are awarded the distinctive ARW green beret. Module 5 Continuation training is the conclusion of the SOFQ course, and candidates are posted to an operational ARW task unit as an assault team operator. 3 Star Privates (and equivalents) who are successful in completing the SOFQ course pass out at
3390-546: The International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) to restore peace and security following the independence referendum in August. The Australian-led mission had begun nearly a month earlier with an allied special forces coalition of Australian Special Air Service, New Zealand Special Air Service and British Special Boat Service (SBS) armed Response Force. No 1 IRCON was embedded in the reconnaissance company in
3503-574: The Irish Army , it also selects personnel from the Naval Service and Air Corps . It serves at the behest of the Defence Forces and Government of Ireland , operating internally and overseas, and reports directly to the Chief of Staff . The ARW was established in 1980 with the primary role of counter terrorism and evolved to both special operations and counter-terrorism roles from 2000 after
At Tiri incident - Misplaced Pages Continue
3616-633: The M203 Grenade Launcher and Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon . Army Ranger Wing The Army Ranger Wing ( ARW ) ( Irish : Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm , " SFA ") is the special operations force of the Irish Defence Forces , the military of Ireland . In late 2023, it was reported that the unit was to be renamed the Ireland Special Operations Force (IRL-SOF). It is a branch of
3729-674: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (the Republic of Ireland is not a member of NATO, due to its policy of military neutrality ). Individual deployments include Lebanon , Bosnia , Cyprus , Iraq and Western Sahara . The ARW's first deployment overseas was in Somalia in 1993 as part of UNOSOM II where a number of teams joined the United States -led peacekeeping coalition tasked with imposing
3842-536: The S.L.A. Private John O'Mahony from Killarney, County Kerry was shot and wounded and his two comrades Privates Thomas Barrett from Cork and Derek Smallhorne from Dublin were driven away. Both men were found shot dead nearby, with their bodies showing signs of torture. Another Israeli invasion in 1982 forced the PLO out of southern Lebanon and occupied the area. The following eighteen years until 2000 saw prolonged guerrilla warfare between Israeli forces, their allies in
3955-483: The South Lebanon Army and Hezbollah . UNIFIL was caught in the middle of this conflict. The Irish battalion's role consisted of manning checkpoints and observations posts and mounting patrols. A total of 47 soldiers were killed. In addition to peacekeeping, the Irish provided humanitarian aid to the local population – for example, aiding the orphanage at Tibnin . From 25 April 1995 to 9 May 1996, Brigadier General P. Redmond served as Deputy Force Commander of UNIFIL during
4068-549: The Special Operations Force Qualification Course (SOFQ). The SOFQ is conducted over 10 months (40 weeks). The Selection Course had been conducted over 3 weeks after being reduced in 2006 from 4 weeks. The Basic Skills course had been conducted over 5 months. The SOFQ is divided into 5 modules: Module 1 assesses a candidate's level of physical fitness, motivation and suitability to progress on towards further modules (2-5) of
4181-480: The Steyr Rifle , General Purpose Machine Gun and grenade. On completion of recruit training, soldiers become 2 Star Privates and immediately begin 3 Star training. This includes more advanced training of everything covered by recruit training plus riot training, navigation, CBRN , helicopter drills, survival, FIBUA , ATCP training, live fire tactical training, etc. They also receive further weapons training on
4294-660: The Syrian civil war from spreading into Israel. The 43 Infantry Group, consisting of 115 personnel, deployed into Syria in September 2013. The group is tasked primarily to serve as the Force Mobile Reserve within the UNDOF Area of Responsibility. The Irish peacekeepers were attacked by Syrian rebels on 29 November 2013. The Irish convoy came under small arms fire and a Mowag APC later struck a land mine, damaging
4407-736: The UNAMET observer group (Timorese Independence Referendum). In October, a platoon of Rangers (1 Ircon) from the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) were sent as part of the INTERFET peacekeeping force after the Referendum. The ARW platoon served in the reconnaissance company of the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Regiment (1 RNZIR) Battalion Group for a four-month tour. INTERFET handed over to UNTAET during ARW 2 Ircon's tour in 2000. The third contingent to East Timor (3 Ircon) in June 2000 marked
4520-536: The anti-Treaty IRA who refused to accept the legitimacy of the new state. Both forces continued to use the Irish-language title Óglaigh na hÉireann , which had previously been used by both the original IRA and its predecessor, the Irish Volunteers of the mid-1910s. In July 1922, Dáil Éireann authorised raising a force of 35,000 men; by May 1923 this had grown to 58,000. The National Army lacked
4633-546: The strikes of agricultural labourers in Munster and south Leinster, as well as reversing factory seizures by socialists . Richard Mulcahy , the new Irish defence minister , proposed to reduce the army from 55,000 to 18,000 men in the immediate post-Civil War period. This provoked mutiny among National Army officers in 1923–24, particularly among former IRA officers who considered that former British Army officers were being treated better than they were. On 3 August 1923,
At Tiri incident - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-527: The 46th Irish Battalion (and a native of Rahoon in County Galway ), and Sevati Sovonaivalu of the Fijian Army . One SLA soldier, 19-year old Massoud Bazzi, was also killed. Following the battle, Major Saad Haddad of the SLA gave an ultimatum to UNIFIL to either compensate the family of Massoud Bazzi or to produce the bodies of the two deceased UN soldiers. On 18 April, a UNIFIL party set out to
4859-486: The ARW have trained Arctic survival specialists. Besides sanctioned international military missions, the unit may be deployed overseas to protect Irish diplomatic missions and diplomats (particularly in times of war or civil unrest in host countries), to provide close protection to members of the Irish government travelling overseas, to rescue kidnapped Irish citizens, to extract citizens in hostile or conflict zones , or to conduct intelligence operations. The ARW
4972-627: The ARW was granted permission to wear the Green beret. In April 2017, it was reported that there had been no increase in the strength of the ARW despite the 2015 White Paper's aim to considerably increase the strength of the unit. On 16 January 2022, there were recommendations made for some ARW operators to be based in Cork to work alongside their colleagues in the Naval Service in improving its maritime anti-terrorism capabilities. In January 2022,
5085-643: The Allies in several ways. For example, the Donegal Corridor allowed British military aircraft based in County Fermanagh to fly through Irish airspace to the Atlantic, thereby greatly increasing their operational range. G2 , the Army's intelligence section, played a role in the detection and arrest of German spies, such as Hermann Görtz . Since Ireland joined the United Nations in 1955,
5198-517: The Army has been deployed on many peacekeeping missions. The first of these took place in 1958 when a small number of observers were sent to Lebanon . A total of 86 Irish soldiers have died in the service of the United Nations since 1960 ( see List of Irish military casualties overseas ). The first major overseas deployment came in 1960, when Irish troops were sent to the Congo as part of
5311-710: The Army undergo 29 weeks of training in order to become a fully trained infantry soldier. The first 17 weeks is recruit training, after which they become a 2 Star Private. They then undergo a further 12 weeks of advanced training, after which they pass-out as a 3 Star Private, Trooper or Gunner depending on their respective Corps. During this continuous 29 weeks of training, they are required to live in barracks. The Army recruits both men and women. Recruit training includes foot drill, arms drill, field-craft, medical, radio operation, rifle marksmanship, unarmed combat, counter-IED, tactical and daily physical training (PT). During this stage of training, they are also given weapons training on
5424-607: The Army, trace their 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 to recruit volunteers into the new National Army . The Provisional Government was set up on 16 January 1922 to assume power in the new Irish Free State . On 31 January 1922,
5537-630: The British Army, as had Emmet Dalton . Indeed, the Free State recruited experienced soldiers from wherever it could; two more of its senior generals, John T. Prout and JJ "Ginger" O'Connell , had served in the United States Army . The British government had supplied the National Army with small arms and ammunition as they departed from Ireland as well as a few armoured cars. They later supplied artillery which enabled it to bring
5650-581: The Civil War to a relatively speedy conclusion. The Four Courts and O'Connell Street were taken from anti-Treaty IRA units during the Battle of Dublin in July 1922. The anti-Treaty IRA were also dislodged from Limerick and Waterford in that month and Cork and County Kerry were secured in a decisive seaborne offensive in August. The remainder of the war was a guerrilla war , concentrated particularly in
5763-417: The Civil War, as 26 Irish soldiers died. Nine died in a single incident called the " Niemba Ambush ", in which an eleven-man Irish patrol was ambushed by local tribesmen. Nine Irish soldiers and some 25 tribesmen were killed. A Niemba Ambush commemoration is hosted annually by the Irish Veterans Organisation (ONET) in Cathal Brugha Barracks , on the nearest Saturday to the actual date of the ambush. One of
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#17327721594055876-402: The Congo from 1960 until 1964. Starting in 1964, Irish troops have served as UN peacekeepers in Cyprus ( UNFICYP ). Over 9,000 Irish personnel have served there to date, without suffering casualties. In 1973, an infantry group and some logistical troops were pulled out of Cyprus at short notice to serve in the Sinai desert between Egypt and Israel as part of the UN force that supervised
5989-400: The Defence Forces or Irish government did not confirm this. ARW personnel were in plainclothes and "discreetly armed" for protection purposes. Smith was repatriated to Dublin Airport where she was arrested by Gardai and charged with terrorism offences. On 23 August 2021 in the aftermath of the Fall of Kabul to the Taliban , Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney approved
6102-496: The Force Mobile Reserve. In all, 30,000 Irish soldiers served in Lebanon over 23 years. The Irish troops in Lebanon were initially intended to supervise the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the area after an invasion in 1978 and to prevent fighting between the Palestine Liberation Organization forces and Israel . In April 1980, three Irish soldiers were killed in an episode of violence near At Tiri in Southern Lebanon. On 16 April 1980, soldiers attempting to set up
6215-407: The Free State soon recruited far more troops, with the army's size mushrooming to 55,000 men and 3,500 officers by the end of the Civil War in May 1923. Many of its recruits were war-hardened Irishmen who had served in the British Army during the First World War . W. R. E. Murphy , a second-in-command of the National Army in the civil war (from January until May 1923), had been a lieutenant colonel in
6328-399: The Garda Síochána formed a counter-terrorist unit named the Special Task Force (STF) to operate in border regions that was later to become the Emergency Response Unit. Following an assessment of the SAG, and Rangers receiving training from the M-Squadron , an elite counter-terrorism (CT) branch of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps , in 1978 it was decided to consolidate the Rangers into
6441-550: The Irish 44th Infantry Group escorted the Filipino soldiers to safety. Fire was exchanged with heavy machine guns but there were no casualties on the UN side. The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs stated he would withdraw the Irish contingent from Golan unless guarantees could be given about their safety. '"We don't want to see Irish troops or the UN contingent being drawn into a Syrian civil war"', he said. Irish troops were withdrawn into Israeli occupied Golan in 2014. Nevertheless, as of late 2016, 138 Irish troops remained deployed in
6554-404: The Irish Defence Forces signed agreements with their British counterparts to deepen joint special forces peacekeeping co-operation, extending from previous deployments with British special forces in a number of combat zones. Rangers have seen active service in a number of peacekeeping missions around the world with the United Nations, European Union (EU) and Partnership for Peace (PfP) of
6667-419: The Republic of Ireland using Air Corps aircraft and up to 200 miles out to sea via the Naval Service vessels. In the event of a major terrorist, hijacking or hostage incident, the ARW may be called to aid the Garda ERU , and in the past, they have been put on standby to assist the Irish Prison Service during major prison riots . The unit has on occasion been tasked for search and rescue (SAR) operations, as
6780-413: The SLA attacked Irish troops based in the village. During these clashes, sometimes known as the 'Battle of At Tiri', the Irish soldiers held their ground and called in Dutch and Fijian peacekeepers as reinforcements. The battle ended on 12 April when the Dutch contingent employed TOW missiles against the SLA. During the battle, two UNIFIL peacekeepers were killed: Stephen Griffin, a 21-year-old private from
6893-454: The SOFQ course similar to the previous selection course. Candidates must pass a series of fitness assessments, map reading and individual navigation assessments, claustrophobia, water confidence, and psychometric testing. The final phase of Module 1 includes individual navigation exercises with set weights over unknown distances and completion times which can be over 250 km, culminating in an additional 65 km cross-country march carrying
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#17327721594057006-412: The State have been provided with armed military escorts since 1978. The Army provides 24-hour armed security at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison and armed escorts for the Prison Service transporting Ireland's most dangerous criminals. The Central Bank of Ireland had the Government put in place contingency plans to provide armed Defence Force security for major Irish banks over public order fears if
7119-399: The UN force ONUC . The Belgian Congo became an independent republic on 30 June 1960. Twelve days later, the Congolese government requested military assistance from the United Nations to maintain its territorial integrity. On 28 July 1960 Lt-Col Murt Buckley led the 32nd Irish Battalion to the newly independent central African country. This was the most costly enterprise for the Army since
7232-440: The abduction of Irish journalist Rory Carroll by al-Qaeda -affiliated militants. Following negotiations with Irish, British and American government representatives, Rory Carroll was released unharmed days later and returned safely to Ireland. In 2009, the ARW were involved in the evacuation of GOAL aid worker Sharon Commins who was kidnapped by Janjaweed in Darfur, Sudan for more than 100 days before being released, although
7345-462: The anti-Treaty units of the IRA who had occupied the Four Courts in Dublin ; this garrison had kidnapped JJ O'Connell , a lieutenant-general in the National Army. In the early weeks of the Civil War, the newly formed National Army was mainly composed of pro-Treaty IRA units, especially the Dublin Guard , whose members had personal ties to Michael Collins . Its size was estimated at 7,000 men, in contrast to about 15,000 anti-Treaty IRA men. However,
7458-564: The attackers, and knocked out enemy artillery and mortar positions using 60mm mortars. An attempt was made by 500 Irish and Swedish Army soldiers to break through to the besieged company, but the attempt failed. A Company's commanding officer Commandant Patrick Quinlan , eventually surrendered his forces. A small number of Irish soldiers were wounded, but none killed. It is estimated, however, that up to 300 of A Company's attackers were killed, including 30 white mercenaries, and that up to 1,000 were wounded. A total of 6,000 Irishmen served in
7571-613: The authorities for years. Bazzi was also interviewed by officials. In 2013, he applied for U.S. citizenship, but the application stalled when the investigation picked up. In July 2014, Bazzi was arrested for "administrative immigration violations" by US federal agents at his Dearborn home. He was alleged to have entered the United States on a false passport. Friends and relatives of Privates Barrett and Smallhorne had been seeking his deportation to Lebanon to face war crimes charges. In August 2014, Bazzi confessed to immigration fraud and agreed to be deported to Lebanon. In late 2015, Mahmoud Bazzi
7684-708: The base. The ARW conducted vehicle patrols along the Chad / Sudan border in their Ford F-350 Special Reconnaissance Vehicles. The ARW mission ended in June 2008 with the arrival of the 97th Infantry Battalion. In June 2019, Dáil Éireann approved sending an ARW Task Unit and staff officers to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali ( MINUSMA ) in intelligence and operational roles, on 4-month rotations for two years. The ARW were deployed in response to an upsurge in violence in north-eastern Mali, led by militants affiliated with al-Qaeda. The Irish contingent were primarily tasked with conducting long-range reconnaissance patrols (LRRP) and deployed as part of
7797-476: The basis of his age (he was 76 at time of conviction). Irish Army The Irish Army ( Irish : an tArm ) is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland . The Irish Army has an active establishment of 7,520, and a reserve establishment of 3,869. Like other components of the Defence Forces, the Irish Army has struggled to maintain strength and as of April 2023 has only 6,322 active personnel, and 1,382 reserve personnel. The Irish Army
7910-402: The ceasefire that ended the Yom Kippur War . From 1976 to 1981, UNFICYP was commanded by an Irish officer, Major-General James Quinn . From 1978 to 2001, a battalion of Irish troops was deployed in southern Lebanon , as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL . The Irish battalion consisted of 580 personnel which were rotated every six months, plus almost 100 others in UNIFIL headquarters and
8023-486: The defence of the UN headquarters there. In 1997 an Irish Army Military Police unit and a company of transport corps troops were deployed to Bosnia as part of SFOR (1995–2005) and EUFOR (December 2005 to present). The MP company was based in SFOR HQ in Sarajevo and policed the 8,000 SFOR troops based in the area. From 1999 until 2010, a company of Irish troops was stationed in Kosovo as part of KFOR . In July 1999, Irish officers were sent to East Timor as part of
8136-625: The delivery of humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, and ensuring the safety of UN personnel. There were a number of deployments to the mission, rotating every four months, with the final contingent completing their tour in May 2010: In 2013 the United Nations asked Ireland to send peacekeepers as part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan region of Syria, to try to contain
8249-464: The deployment of an Emergency Consular Assistance Team (ECAT) comprising ARW personnel and a small team of DFA diplomats to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul in order to evacuate Irish citizens. The options available to the Irish government to extract its citizens were hampered by Ireland's lack of an organic strategic airlift capability . The mission ended on 26 August, just 48 hours after
8362-675: The early 1970s, it was suggested that the Army might cross the Border to protect the Irish nationalist community within Northern Ireland . This was never acted upon, although units were moved to the border region in 1969–70 during the Battle of the Bogside , in order to provide medical support to those wounded in the fighting. The Army's largest aid to the civil power role is its cash-in-transit escorts, with over 2000 missions carried out every year. All large shipments of cash within
8475-608: The end of conflict in Northern Ireland . The unit is based in the Curragh Camp , County Kildare . The 2015 White Paper on Defence announced that the strength of the ARW would be considerably increased due to operational requirements at home and overseas. The unit has served abroad in a number of international peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions including in Somalia , East Timor , Liberia , Chad , and Mali . The ARW trains with special forces units around
8588-475: The ex-ARW operator turned politician Cathal Berry said that he backed proposals to rename the unit as the 'Ireland Special Operations Force' (ISOF). The Officer Commanding the Army Ranger Wing is responsible for the administrative, disciplinary and operational control of the unit, and is in turn directly under the command of the Chief of Staff at Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ). Information on
8701-490: The expertise necessary to train a force of that size, such that approximately one-fifth of its officers and half of its soldiers were Irish ex-servicemen of the British Army , who brought considerable experience to it. The Irish Civil War broke out on 28 June 1922. The pro-Treaty Sinn Féin party had won an election on 16 June . The British were applying increasing pressure on the government to assert its control over
8814-712: The government denied the involvement of the ARW at the time. With the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and the Libyan Civil War , the ARW, Air Corps and other Defence Forces assets were deployed in order to evacuate upwards of 115 Irish citizens from the country, mainly via the capital Tripoli . The ARW operated out of the British diplomatic mission in Malta. It was reported at the time that Irish officials printed fake boarding passes in order to bypass "tight" security at Tripoli airport, where authorities refused to allow
8927-445: The government of Ireland on 7 May 2013. Despite the Irish stance of neutrality, the Army was greatly expanded during the war (with more recruited to reserve forces ). At its peak, the army was made up of almost 41,000 personnel, with another 106,000 reservists. Upon the outbreak of war two independent brigades were raised. During the so-called Phoney War period, numbers of men mobilised decreased. The Fall of France , however, saw
9040-480: The largest ONUC engagements in which Irish troops were involved was the Siege of Jadotville . During this action, a small party of 155 Irish soldiers ("A" Company, 35th Battalion) was attacked by a larger force of almost 4,000 Katangese troops, as well as French, Belgian and Rhodesian mercenaries, and supported by a trainer jet (a Fouga CM.170 Magister ), equipped for ground attack. The Irish soldiers repeatedly repelled
9153-407: The man was talking about his brother, whom he would later identify as Mahmoud Bazzi, and another man escorted them down a flight of stairs, where Bazzi shot him and left him there. Although badly wounded, O'Mahony survived. Barrett and Smallhorne escaped the building when the shooting began, but were recaptured by SLA men outside. The remaining members of the party left the building, with Klein carrying
9266-524: The medium of the Irish state's first official language. Ireland remained neutral during the Second World War , which was referred to as " The Emergency " by the Irish government. About 5,000 soldiers deserted and joined the British military. Those who returned in 1945 were summarily dismissed from the armed forces and disqualified from any form of state-funded employment for seven years. These soldiers received an official amnesty and apology from
9379-752: The mission, the Minister for Defence recognised the regional nature of the crisis, involving instability in Darfur , Chad and the Central African Republic . In accordance with their terms of reference, the deployment of Irish forces was confined to Chad. Ireland contributed the second largest contingent of soldiers to EUFOR Chad/CAR , after France , as part of the mission to establish peace in Chad and to protect refugees from neighbouring Darfur. The Irish soldiers conducted operations concerned with
9492-549: The mission. The mission came to an end in 1991, when Iran and Iraq completed the withdrawal of their troops. A small number of Irish observers were stationed in Kuwait from 1991 to 2002 as part of UNIKOM . In 1993, 100 troops forming a transport company were deployed in Somalia , as part of the UNOSOM II peace-enforcing mission. In December 2001, 221 Irish soldiers were sent to Eritrea as part of UNMEE , and were tasked with
9605-658: The murders. Shortly after the incident, he openly admitted to killing Barrett and Smallhorne on Lebanese television and claimed he did so to avenge his brother, but later retracted his statements, claiming his commander had forced him. In 1994, he was granted asylum in the United States, and worked as an ice cream vendor in Dearborn , Michigan . U.S. authorities interviewed one of the journalists involved and O'Mahony, and expressed their willingness to testify against Bazzi, but claimed that they had not heard anything more from
9718-540: The name of the Defence Forces in Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann ("Irish Volunteers"). Na Fianna were purportedly expert warriors, so the addition of the word Fiann before Óglaigh denotes an elite element to the unit. The shoulder flash insignia of the unit uses Fianóglach . The motto of the Army Ranger Wing is taken from an old Fianna poem, in Irish it is: "Glaine ár gcroí, Neart ár ngéag, Agus beart de réir ár mbriathar" , which translates as: "The purity of our hearts,
9831-528: The new State passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, putting the existing armed forces on a legal footing. This Act raised " an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann (hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas ." The date of the establishment of the Defence Forces
9944-579: The numerical strength of the unit and the identity of its personnel is restricted. Estimates variously put the strength at "well over a hundred" or between 140 and 150 personnel. In 2015, the Defence White Paper announced an increase in strength with reports of the unit doubling in size. The Wing is divided into operational task units each comprising several assault teams relative to each operator's area of speciality. After serving one year in an assault team an operator can apply to join
10057-461: The operation was not properly planned and should have been coordinated with militia leaders and the Israelis. He added that helicopters could have been used instead to resupply the post. The convoy also went ahead without an escort, and everyone except for two of the Irish soldiers was unarmed. Klein ordered it to continue even after warning signs became apparent along the route when it passed through
10170-496: The rank of Acting Corporal , and the lowest commissioned rank in the unit is that of Captain . All candidates must successfully complete the basic parachute course of five (5) static line jumps from 3,000 feet using T10 round canopies. As of 2012, it was reported that since the unit's inception fewer than 400 had completed training to become a Ranger. Further specialist training courses for Rangers include advanced combat medical skills, military freefall, combat diving (taught by
10283-406: The rank of at least 3 Star Private (or equivalent). There is no age limit to attempt selection. Selection has been open to females since 1984, however, none have been successful. Usually 40 to 80 candidates attempt selection annually. The ARW recently revised its selection and assessment procedures combining the previous Selection course & Basic Skills course into a new single course named
10396-533: The ranks of their officers allowed to be given. National Army units, especially the Dublin Guard, were implicated in a series of atrocities against captured anti-Treaty fighters. The National Army suffered about 800 fatalities in the Civil War, including its commander-in-chief, Michael Collins. Collins was succeeded by Richard Mulcahy . In April 1923, the anti-Treaty IRA called a ceasefire, and in May it ordered its fighters to "dump arms", effectively ending
10509-496: The rebel forces, including their commander. The incident, which resulted in no Irish casualties, drew praise from the international community and boosted the reputation of the ARW worldwide. Ranger Sergeant Derek Mooney (33) of Dublin , was killed when his vehicle was involved in a motor vehicle accident during a transport convoy. In February 2008, a Special Forces Task Group of 58 Rangers deployed to Abéché in Chad as part of
10622-621: The region under UNDOF. In late 2018 the UN contingent returned to the Syria side of the de facto border after Syrian government forces took Daraa and Quneitra from rebel forces in the 2018 Southern Syria offensive . At home, the Army was deployed to aid the Garda Síochána (the police force ) along the border with Northern Ireland during the conflict known as the Troubles (1969–1998). In
10735-788: The region. This was reduced to approximately 330 troops in May 2013, and further to 180 troops in November 2013. As of May 2016, there were 194 Irish soldiers deployed to UNIFIL serving alongside Finnish Armed Forces as part of a joint Battalion which is currently under Finnish command. Ireland takes over command of the Battalion from Finland in November 2016 at which time an additional Company of some 150 personnel will be deployed to UNIFIL bringing Ireland's contribution to this mission to 340 personnel. In November 2022, 333 Irish soldiers deployed to southern Lebanon as part of UNIFIL's 121st Infantry Battalion. On 14 December 2022, one Irish peacekeeper
10848-484: The securing of key locations, conducting searches for illegally held weapons, patrolling and manning checkpoints on the main roads and providing security to civilians under threat of violence. The Irish deployment to Liberia was due to end in November 2006. However, at that time the deployment was extended for a further 6 months to May 2007. During the UNMIL deployment, a detachment of Irish Army Rangers successfully rescued
10961-409: The south and west of the country. On 15 October, directives were sent to the press by Piaras Béaslaí , the Free State director of communications, to the effect that Free State troops were to be referred to as the "National Army", the "Irish Army", or just "troops". The Anti-Treaty troops were to be called "Irregulars" and were not to be referred to as "Republicans", "IRA", "forces", or "troops", nor were
11074-476: The specialist Naval Service Diving Section ) and boat handling, close protection and handling of advanced weapons. Prior to 2000 with The Troubles , approximately 85% of Ranger training had been dedicated to counter-terrorism . The average age of a Ranger is 31 years old with the eldest 44 years old. On average, a member of the ARW spends between 5 and 10 years serving with the unit before being returned to their home unit bringing their skills with them, but it
11187-645: The strength of our limbs and our commitment to our promise". In the late 1960s, the Defence Forces established 'Special Assault Groups' (SAG) in the Army to meet security challenges on the border with Northern Ireland . A number of Army officers attended the United States Army Ranger School in Fort Benning , Georgia who returned to conduct Army Ranger courses in Ireland with the first held in 1969. Among its founding officers
11300-419: The vehicle, when driving out of the attack. The Irish returned fire with 12.7mm (.50 calibre) heavy machine guns mounted on their vehicles before the rebels retreated. The Irish were involved in a combat mission in August 2014 after 44 Fijian UN troops were captured by the rebel Al Nusra organisation. Nearby, 35 Filipino UN troops managed to conduct a successful breakout attempt and an armoured escort from
11413-404: The war. With the end of the Civil War, the National Army had grown too big for a peacetime role and was too expensive for the new Irish state to maintain. In addition, many of the civil war recruits were badly trained and undisciplined, making them unsuitable material for a full-time professional army. The Special Infantry Corps was established to perform the army's first post-war duty, breaking
11526-702: The world, particularly in Europe . The ARW in its domestic counter terrorism role trains and deploys with the Garda Síochána (national police) specialist armed intervention unit, the Emergency Response Unit (ERU). The Army Ranger Wing roles are divided between wartime special operations ("Green Role") and anti-terrorism ("Black Role"), the latter known formally as military Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP): Offensive operations behind enemy lines Defensive operations The unit's official name
11639-552: The world. The Army Ranger Wing Intelligence Section has the ability to remotely intercept electronic and telephonic communications, working with the Directorate of Military Intelligence (J2) and Army CIS Corps. Candidates must be serving members of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) from any of the three branches (Army, Air Corps or Naval Service). The candidate must be medically fit and have attained
11752-466: The wounded O'Mahony to a vehicle. One of the journalists claimed he saw Barrett and Smallhorne in the back of a car that was speeding away. Barrett and Smallhorne were later found dead nearby. They had been shot dead and their bodies showed signs of torture. Mahmoud Bazzi, the brother of Massoud Bazzi, who had been killed in the Battle of At Tiri, who was also member of the SLA, was the primary suspect in
11865-557: Was 1 October 1924. The term "National Army" fell into disuse. The Army had a new establishment, organisation, rank markings, headdress and orders of dress. The National Army's Air Service became the Air Corps and remained part of the Army until the 1990s. An all- Irish language -speaking unit was created – An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe (English: The First Infantry Battalion) was established in Galway, and functioned exclusively through
11978-494: Was arrested and put on trial before a Beirut military court with a seven-judge panel. John O'Mahony gave evidence during the trial, and positively identified Bazzi as the man who shot him and led Barrett and Smallhorne away. He was protected at all times by a Close Protection Team from the Irish Army Ranger Wing . The trial was adjourned until April 2016, and on 8 September 2016 was further adjourned. In 2018 it
12091-553: Was deployed in Liberia in the aftermath of the Second Liberian Civil War as part of a peacekeeping contingent of more than 400 troops from the Irish Army, in turn, part of the mixed Irish- Swedish Force Reserve Battalion of the United Nations mission in the country, UNMIL (2003). The ARW's area of operations (AO) was "all of Liberia", consisting of 4.7 million people and 111,369 sq km (43,000 sq mi). One of their most successful missions during this deployment
12204-508: Was deployed to southern Lebanon. Their role was to provide perimeter protection for a Finnish Army engineering unit. After 12 months, the 1st Finnish/Irish Battalion ceased operations and was stood down from duty after having completed its mandate with UNIFIL. A number of Irish personnel remained in service at UNIFIL HQ in Southern Lebanon. Irish battalions returned to Lebanon in 2011 – initially with roughly 480 troops deployed in
12317-470: Was killed and seven others were injured in a "serious incident" involving small arms fire. From August 1988 until May 1991, Irish soldiers were deployed under the UN force UNIIMOG , on the border between Iraq and Iran to supervise the withdrawal of both sides' forces to within their respective borders after the end of the Iran–Iraq War . The Irish provided 177 of the 400 UNIIMOG personnel involved with
12430-634: Was later-to-be Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dermot Earley . Special Assault Groups were formed comprising 40 Rangers trained in all arms, engineering and ordnance techniques. By the mid-1970s, the Defence Forces had over 300 Rangers who conducted support operations on the request of the Garda Síochána. Students on these courses were selected from among all ranks and units of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps. The courses improved standards of physical endurance, marksmanship, individual military skills and small unit tactics. In December 1977,
12543-508: Was reported that Bazzi had been found guilty in a Lebanese military court of "collaboration with Israel" and sentenced to 5 years of "hard labour". A hearing on the murder charges was due to occur in late June 2018. On 21 December 2020, a Lebanese military court said it had found ex-militia member Mahmoud Bazzi guilty of the murders of Private Thomas Barrett and Private Derek Smallhorne on 18 April 1980. The court sentenced Bazzi to life in prison, but immediately reduced this sentence to 15 years on
12656-579: Was the largest Irish overseas deployment since Lebanon and consisted of a single composite battalion. The UN force, UNMIL, was 15,000 strong and was charged with stabilising the country after the Second Liberian Civil War . The Irish troops were based in Camp Clara, near Monrovia and were tasked with acting as the Force Commander's "Quick Reaction Force" (QRF) in the Monrovia area. This meant
12769-417: Was the rescue of a large group of civilians captured by gunmen from renegade Liberian forces. Acting on intelligence, a team of twenty heavily armed Rangers were dropped via helicopters at the town of "Gbapa". To avoid casualties among the hostages, the ARW implemented a policy of less-lethal intervention and, after surrounding a 40-foot container holding 35 hostages, rescued the innocent civilians and captured
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