118-789: The Air Corps ( Irish : An tAerchór ) is the air force of Ireland . Organisationally a military branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland, the Air Corps utilises a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft to carry out a variety of duties in conjunction with the Irish Army , Irish Naval Service and Garda Síochána . The headquarters of the Air Corps is located at the Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Dublin . The Air Corps has an active establishment of 886 personnel. Like other components of
236-639: A DHC-6 Twin Otter was ordered as a replacement for the Britten-Norman Defender . In February 2023, the government agreed to replace the Learjet 45 , which has been in service since 2004, has becoming increasingly unreliable and unable to fly long distances. The replacement jet is expected to seat ten passengers and be capable of long distance travel to assist in overseas evacuation of Irish citizens, medical transport as well as ministerial air transport. The tender
354-511: A Grumman Gulfstream IV (#251) which also replaced the HS.125. Ireland again assumed the EU Presidency in 1994, and the Air Corps acquired a Learjet 45XR (#258) to supplement the government's ministerial travel requirements. The Ministerial Air Transport Service has since declined in use and size as government ministers are reluctant to travel in perceived luxury when adequate commercial air travel
472-540: A unique dialect of Irish developed before falling out of use in the early 20th century. With a writing system , Ogham , dating back to at least the 4th century AD, which was gradually replaced by Latin script since the 5th century AD, Irish has one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Western Europe . On the island, the language has three major dialects: Connacht , Munster and Ulster Irish . All three have distinctions in their speech and orthography . There
590-711: A Hudson of the 396th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) , United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). A Hudson of No. 113 Squadron RCAF became the first aircraft of the RCAF's Eastern Air Command to sink a submarine, when Hudson 625 sank U-754 on 31 July 1942. A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Hudson was involved in the Canberra air disaster of 1940, in which three ministers of the Australian government were killed. On 10 August 1942 RAAF 13 squadron sank IJN auxiliary netlayer Fukuei Maru No. 15 off Beco, Portuguese Timor . In 1941,
708-697: A bargaining chip during government formation in Northern Ireland, prompting protests from organisations and groups such as An Dream Dearg . Irish became an official language of the EU on 1 January 2007, meaning that MEPs with Irish fluency can now speak the language in the European Parliament and at committees, although in the case of the latter they have to give prior notice to a simultaneous interpreter in order to ensure that what they say can be interpreted into other languages. While an official language of
826-560: A better future for Ireland and all her citizens." The Strategy was produced on 21 December 2010 and will stay in action until 2030; it aims to target language vitality and revitalization of the Irish language. The 30-page document published by the Government of Ireland details the objectives it plans to work towards in an attempt to preserve and promote both the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. It
944-554: A budget of €1.5 billion with LOA 3 recommending a budget of €2,967 billion. The commission compared Ireland to other nations of similar GDP and population size, and determined these budgetary increases would be commensurate with those nations. As of 2023, the then Irish government had committed to implementing LOA 2 by 2028. The Irish Air Corps is the air branch of the Irish Defence Forces. Headed up by Brigadier General Rory O'Connor, General Officer Commanding, Air Corps (GOCAC),
1062-618: A conventional military air force. The Air Corps air space control and ground attack capacity is limited to low-level and limited weather. Helicopter tactical troop transport is available on a 24-hour basis through the introduction of Night Vision Goggles. The Air Corps non-military capabilities in aid to the civil power and other Government departments include ministerial transport, fishery protection, 24-hour maritime patrolling, Garda air support, search and rescue over both land and sea, an air ambulance service, aerial firefighting, drugs surveillance and non-combatant evacuation . The Air Corps provides
1180-472: A cultural and social force. Irish speakers often insisted on using the language in law courts (even when they knew English), and Irish was also common in commercial transactions. The language was heavily implicated in the "devotional revolution" which marked the standardisation of Catholic religious practice and was also widely used in a political context. Down to the time of the Great Famine and even afterwards,
1298-695: A cutaway drawing of the Model 14 to various publications, showing the new aircraft as a civilian aircraft and converted to a light bomber. This attracted the interest of various air forces and in 1938, the British Purchasing Commission sought an American maritime patrol aircraft for the United Kingdom to support the Avro Anson . The Commission ordered 200 aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force and
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#17328456183201416-592: A dedicated role: 3 Operations Wing is the formation responsible for operational rotary wing flying, and is divided into three flying squadrons and one non-flying squadron. It provides pilots for the Emergency Aeromedical Service , the air ambulance service which is jointly operated by the Air Corps and the HSE National Ambulance Service . 4 Support Wing is primarily concerned with second-line aircraft maintenance (front line maintenance
1534-541: A degree course in the NUI federal system to pass the subject of Irish in the Leaving Certificate or GCE / GCSE examinations. Exemptions are made from this requirement for students who were born or completed primary education outside of Ireland, and students diagnosed with dyslexia . NUI Galway is required to appoint people who are competent in the Irish language, as long as they are also competent in all other aspects of
1652-460: A fully recognised EU language for the first time in the state's history. Before Irish became an official language it was afforded the status of treaty language and only the highest-level documents of the EU were made available in Irish. The Irish language was carried abroad in the modern period by a vast diaspora , chiefly to Great Britain and North America, but also to Australia , New Zealand and Argentina . The first large movements began in
1770-461: A level comparable to similar sized countries in Europe. The 2023 DIP-CoDF stated that the recommendation would be considered by government in 2028. The Pilatus PC-9s are due to reach their 20-year service life in 2025, however as of 2023 no tender for a replacement aircraft had been announced. The Air Corps military roles and the functions it carries out are those of an army air corps rather than that of
1888-479: A naval vessel. The Germans were taken prisoner and the submarine taken under tow when Royal Navy ships subsequently arrived on the scene. A PBO-1 Hudson of the United States Navy squadron VP-82 became the first US aircraft to destroy a German submarine, when it sank U-656 southwest of Newfoundland on 1 March 1942. U-701 was destroyed on 7 July 1942 while running on the surface off Cape Hatteras by
2006-518: A number of trainers. During World War II (or The Emergency ) there are no records of Air Corps planes engaging any belligerent aircraft, although dozens of escaped barrage balloons were shot down. Requests for more aircraft from Britain resulted in 13 obsolete Hawker Hector biplane light bombers being supplied during 1941. Twelve Hawker Hurricane Mk. Is were initially ordered for the Irish Army Air Corps in 1940 but were not delivered due to
2124-574: A paper suggested that within a generation, non-Gaeltacht habitual users of Irish might typically be members of an urban, middle class, and highly educated minority. Parliamentary legislation is supposed to be available in both Irish and English but is frequently only available in English. This is notwithstanding that Article 25.4 of the Constitution of Ireland requires that an "official translation" of any law in one official language be provided immediately in
2242-554: A pass in Leaving Certificate Irish or English, and receive lessons in Irish during their two years of training. Official documents of the Irish government must be published in both Irish and English or Irish alone (in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, enforced by An Coimisinéir Teanga , the Irish language ombudsman). The National University of Ireland requires all students wishing to embark on
2360-558: A proven modern fighter, and – at peak – 20 flew in Irish colours. 163 belligerent aircraft force-landed in Ireland during the war, and in this way, the Air Corps acquired a Lockheed Hudson , a Fairey Battle , and three Hawker Hurricanes . After the Emergency, the Hurricanes were replaced by Supermarine Seafires and a few two-seat Spitfire trainers. The jet age arrived on 30 July 1956 when
2478-626: A recommendation for fixed wing strategic-reach capability as indicated under LOA 2 of the Commission on the Defence Forces report. As of June 2023, it was expected to be delivered in 2025. In January 2023, the Irish government announced funding of €21.5 million for a replacement helicopter and fixed wing plane for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU). The new helicopter is intended to have a longer range and higher capacity utility. In July 2024,
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#17328456183202596-611: A religious context. An Irish translation of the Old Testament by Leinsterman Muircheartach Ó Cíonga , commissioned by Bishop Bedell , was published after 1685 along with a translation of the New Testament. Otherwise, Anglicisation was seen as synonymous with 'civilising' the native Irish. Currently, modern day Irish speakers in the church are pushing for language revival. It has been estimated that there were around 800,000 monoglot Irish speakers in 1800, which dropped to 320,000 by
2714-726: A result of this presentation, in 1977 the Corps acquired ten SIAI-Marchetti SF.260W Warriors for basic and advanced training and light ground attack. Four were lost in accidents, and one attrition replacement was acquired in 1979. Three Avro Anson C.19s were delivered in 1946 for radio and navigation training, air-to-ground photography, and transport, and were replaced by four de Havilland Doves which arrived in 1953, 1959, 1962, and 1970, which were also used for calibration of radar and landing aids at Dublin and Shannon airports. The troubles in Northern Ireland required additional reconnaissance resources, and in 1972 eight Reims-Cessna FR.172H joined
2832-683: A secret agreement with the UK to allow the Royal Air Force to respond to incursions into Irish airspace. The 2015 White Paper on Defence stated the White Paper update would consider a more capable air combat/intercept capability than the PC-9s. The 2019 Update to the White Paper on Defence reported that the project had not commenced. The 2022 CoDF recommended acquiring a squadron of jet combat aircraft under LOA 3. This would increase Ireland's air defence capabilities to
2950-513: A short range. Both needed replacement by medium sized helicopters. In 2002, CHC took over the Waterford SAR contract, leaving the Air Corps with only the north-east contract. While a S-61 was leased to train crews, pending a tender to purchase up to five medium helicopters, two of which would be SAR helicopters, the contract was cancelled and CHC took over the north-east contract based in Sligo, leaving
3068-457: A training exercise in Connemara , County Galway . In 2017, an attrition replacement (#269) was delivered. To support Ireland's assumption of the EU Presidency in 1990, the Corps leased a Grumman Gulfstream III (#249) – which in 1990 became the first Irish military aircraft to circumnavigate the world. The success of Gulfstream III as an ambassador for Ireland led to its replacement in 1992 by
3186-633: A wartime embargo imposed by the British government. Eleven Hurricane Mk. Is were eventually delivered to the Air Corps, from surplus RAF stocks, between July 1943 and March 1944, and the Hurricane Mk. I (no.93), that crash-landed in County Wexford in 1940, was the twelfth aircraft. These were supplemented by 6 Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIcs that were delivered to the Irish Army Air Corps in March 1945, to eventually replace
3304-537: A wider meaning, including the Gaelic of Scotland and the Isle of Man , as well as of Ireland. When required by the context, these are distinguished as Gaeilge na hAlban , Gaeilge Mhanann and Gaeilge na hÉireann respectively. In English (including Hiberno-English ), the language is usually referred to as Irish , as well as Gaelic and Irish Gaelic . The term Irish Gaelic may be seen when English speakers discuss
3422-612: Is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation . It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by it thereafter. The Hudson was a military conversion of the Model 14 Super Electra airliner, and was the first significant aircraft construction contract for Lockheed —
3540-448: Is also An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , a standardised written form devised by a parliamentary commission in the 1950s. The traditional Irish alphabet , a variant of the Latin alphabet with 18 letters , has been succeeded by the standard Latin alphabet (albeit with 7–8 letters used primarily in loanwords ). Irish has constitutional status as the national and first official language of
3658-578: Is available, and after repeated criticisms of government ministers using Air Corps aircraft for domestic travel. The repeated technical problems to the MATS aircraft has led to their gradual withdrawal from service, with the Beechcraft the first to be retired in 2009. The Gulfstream IV followed in 2014 after corrosion was detected in the undercarriage which required substantial costs to repair. The Learjet has continued in service, abet with increasing unreliability, and
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3776-511: Is divided into four separate phases with the intention of improving 9 main areas of action including: The general goal for this strategy was to increase the number of daily speakers from 83,000 to 250,000 by the end of its run. By 2022, the number of such speakers had fallen to 71,968. Before the partition of Ireland in 1921, Irish was recognised as a school subject and as "Celtic" in some third level institutions. Between 1921 and 1972, Northern Ireland had devolved government. During those years
3894-441: Is done by the engineering squadrons in each operational wing). This formation has two squadrons. 5 Support Wing is responsible for logistic support for the Air Corps. Communication & Information Services Squadron (CIS) is responsible for the supply and maintenance of ground-based communications, navigation, radar and IT systems for the Air Corps. The CIS Squadron comprises a headquarters and four flights. The Air Corps College
4012-457: Is due to be replaced by 2024. The two maritime patrol Beechcraft were unsuitable for flying in long periods in a salty atmosphere and were replaced by two CASA CN235-100MP Persuader which arrived in 1994. These were upgraded in 2006/2007 by EADS CASA to the FITS Persuader standard with enhanced radar, forward looking infrared equipment and a new electronic and avionics suite. In the 1990s
4130-567: Is only in Gaeltacht areas that Irish continues to be spoken as a community vernacular to some extent. According to data compiled by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media , only 1/4 of households in Gaeltacht areas are fluent in Irish. The author of a detailed analysis of the survey, Donncha Ó hÉallaithe of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology , described
4248-529: Is still commonly spoken as a first language in Ireland's Gaeltacht regions, in which 2% of Ireland's population lived in 2022. The total number of people (aged 3 and over) in Ireland who declared they could speak Irish in April 2022 was 1,873,997, representing 40% of respondents, but of these, 472,887 said they never spoke it and a further 551,993 said they only spoke it within the education system. Linguistic analyses of Irish speakers are therefore based primarily on
4366-412: Is still spoken daily to some extent as a first language . These regions are known individually and collectively as the Gaeltacht (plural Gaeltachtaí ). While the fluent Irish speakers of these areas, whose numbers have been estimated at 20–30,000, are a minority of the total number of fluent Irish speakers, they represent a higher concentration of Irish speakers than other parts of the country and it
4484-469: Is the principal training unit of the Irish Air Corps, where all entrants into the service undertake their training. The college is divided into three distinct schools: In December 2022, an order was placed for an additional Airbus C295 , to be used for cargo and personnel transport, including overseas operations, special operations forces support and medical evacuations. This planned purchase aligns with
4602-659: The Fíor-Ghaeltacht (true Gaeltacht ), a term originally officially applied to areas where over 50% of the population spoke Irish. There are Gaeltacht regions in the following counties: Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair ), County Donegal, is the largest Gaeltacht parish in Ireland. Irish language summer colleges in the Gaeltacht are attended by tens of thousands of teenagers annually. Students live with Gaeltacht families, attend classes, participate in sports, go to céilithe and are obliged to speak Irish. All aspects of Irish culture and tradition are encouraged. The Act
4720-514: The Battle of Dunkirk . On 23 July 1941 a Hudson shot down a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor , while escorting a shipping convoy off Ireland. On 27 August 1941, a Hudson of No. 269 Squadron RAF , operating from Kaldadarnes, Iceland , attacked and damaged the German submarine U-570 causing the submarine's crew to display a white flag and surrender – the aircraft achieved the unusual distinction of capturing
4838-611: The Indo-European language family . It is a member of the Goidelic language group of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous to the island of Ireland . It was the majority of the population's first language until the 19th century, when English gradually became dominant, particularly in the last decades of the century, in what is sometimes characterised as a result of linguistic imperialism . Today, Irish
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4956-619: The Republic of Ireland , and is also an official language of Northern Ireland and among the official languages of the European Union . The public body Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island. Irish has no regulatory body but An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , the standard written form, is guided by a parliamentary service and new vocabulary by a voluntary committee with university input. In An Caighdeán Oifigiúil ("The Official [Written] Standard ")
5074-724: The 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder two-row radial. The RAF also obtained 380 Mk IIIA and 30 Mk IV Hudsons under the Lend-Lease program. By February 1939, RAF Hudsons began to be delivered, initially equipping No. 224 Squadron RAF at RAF Leuchars , Scotland in May 1939. By the start of the war in September, 78 Hudsons were in service. Due to the United States' neutrality at that time, early series aircraft were flown to
5192-611: The 17th century, largely as a result of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , which saw many Irish sent to the West Indies . Irish emigration to the United States was well established by the 18th century, and was reinforced in the 1840s by thousands fleeing from the Famine . This flight also affected Britain. Up until that time most emigrants spoke Irish as their first language, though English
5310-485: The 1950s and used as basic flight trainers until 1976. Hunting Percival Provost T.51 and T.53s were also introduced in the 1950s as advanced flight trainers, serving until 1976. During the mid-sixties and early seventies, the Corps played a part in expanding Ireland's film industry. Pilots and engineering staff participated in a 1965 box office success, The Blue Max . The fleet of World War I replicas, owned by ex-RCAF fighter pilot Lynn Garrison 's "Blue Max Aviation",
5428-719: The 1998 Good Friday Agreement , the language gradually received a degree of formal recognition in Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, and then, in 2003, by the British government's ratification in respect of the language of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . In the 2006 St Andrews Agreement the British government promised to enact legislation to promote the language and in 2022 it approved legislation to recognise Irish as an official language alongside English. The bill received royal assent on 6 December 2022. The Irish language has often been used as
5546-403: The 6th century, used the Latin alphabet and is attested primarily in marginalia to Latin manuscripts. During this time, the Irish language absorbed some Latin words, some via Old Welsh , including ecclesiastical terms : examples are easpag (bishop) from episcopus , and Domhnach (Sunday, from dominica ). By the 10th century, Old Irish had evolved into Middle Irish , which
5664-587: The AW139, EC135, CASA and Learjet. An Air Corps AW139 also provides an Emergency Aeromedical Service for the National Ambulance Service based out of Custume Barracks in Athlone, providing an emergency patient airlift service from scenes of accidents to hospitals. The Air Corps operates two CASA CN235 Maritime Patrol aircraft in support of the fishery protection. These long-range aircraft patrol throughout
5782-563: The Act all detailing different aspects of the use of Irish in official documentation and communication. Included in these sections are subjects such as Irish language use in official courts, official publications, and placenames. The Act was recently amended in December 2019 in order to strengthen the already preexisting legislation. All changes made took into account data collected from online surveys and written submissions. The Official Languages Scheme
5900-528: The Air Corps comprises a staff headquarters, two air wings, two ground support wings, one independent squadron and the Air Corps College. The Air Corps' principal base of operations is out of Casement Aerodrome in Dublin. 1 Operations Wing is the main formation responsible for operational fixed-wing flying. This is sub-divided into four individual flying squadrons and two non-flying squadrons, each of which has
6018-475: The Air Corps gained a new role with the formation of the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU) in 1997. The unit was initially equipped with one Britten-Norman Defender 4000 (#254), and one Eurocopter AS.335N Ecureil (#255). Operational control of the aircraft remains with the Department of Justice, Equality, and Law Reform, while the Air Corps provide pilots and technicians to fly and maintain the aircraft. The AS.335N
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#17328456183206136-492: The Air Corps to provide patrolling, aerial surveillance, and aerial communications. One Reims-Cessna FR.172K was delivered in 1981 as an attrition replacement. The Cessnas served with No 2 Support Wing, operating from Gormanstown until the airfield's closure in 2002. Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community in 1973 which necessitated frequent travel to European capitals for government ministers led to
6254-542: The Air Corps without a SAR role. Despite the cancellation of the order for five S-92s and the loss of the SAR role, the aging Alouettes, Gazelles and Dauphins still needed replacement. In 2004 the government ordered two Eurocopter EC135 P2 light helicopters for training, air ambulance, and general utility, and four AgustaWestland AW139 medium helicopters for troop transport, air ambulance, and VIP transport. The Gazelles were retired in 2005 and replaced in November by two EC135 P2. The Dauphins were retired in 2006, followed by
6372-410: The Air Corps without any jet combat aircraft. In 1998, a review of the Air Corps conducted by Price Waterhouse for the Irish government recommended replacing the Fougas and Marchettis by eight light strike/trainer aircraft. In 2004, eight Pilatus PC-9 M trainers were delivered to the Air Corps to replace the Marchettis and Magisters. The PC-9M is the first Air Corps aircraft to have ejection seats since
6490-477: The Air Service became the new Army's Air Corps and remained part of the Army until the 1990s. In 1938 four Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters were delivered – a further eight were ordered but were embargoed by the outbreak of World War II . Other aircraft purchased from the United Kingdom before the outbreak of war included 16 Avro Anson Mark I maritime patrol bombers, 3 Supermarine Walrus amphibians , 6 Westland Lysander Mark II army co-operation aircraft and
6608-465: The Alouettes in 2007. During their operational lifetime, 3,300 people were assisted by the Alouette helicopters in their Search and Rescue and air ambulance roles. The four AW139 arrived during 2006/7, and the option for an additional two was exercised and arrived in 2008. Since 2012, one of the AW139 has operated an air ambulance service from Custume Barracks , Athlone for the Emergency Aeromedical Service . On 4 October 2019, after 47 years of service to
6726-417: The British government. By the end of 1922, the National Army Air Service comprised ten aircraft, consisting of six Bristol F2B fighters from the First World War and four Martinsyde F4 Fighters , and about 400 men. Its successor, the Irish Army Air Corps was established in 1924 following a re-organisation of the National Army at the end of the Civil War. With the establishment of the Defence Forces in 1924,
6844-462: The Canada–US border, landed, and then towed on their wheels over the border into Canada by tractors or horse drawn teams, before then being flown to Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) airfields where they were then dismantled and "cocooned" for transport as deck cargo, by ship to Liverpool . The Hudsons were supplied without the Boulton Paul dorsal turret, which was installed on arrival in the United Kingdom. Although later outclassed by larger bombers,
6962-413: The Corps took delivery of three de Havilland Vampire T.55 trainers, followed by three more in 1960 who served as advanced trainers and fighters. The Vampires were replaced in 1975 by six Fouga CM.170 Magister jet trainers purchased secondhand from France. They were used for training, by the Light Strike Squadron and the Silver Swallows display team. De Havilland Chipmunk T.20s were introduced in
7080-487: The Defence Forces, it has struggled to maintain strength and as of December 2023 has only 689 active personnel. Unlike the Army or the Naval Service, the Air Corps does not maintain a reserve component . The National Army Air Service was independent Ireland's first air force. During the Anglo-Irish Treaty talks of 1921, a Martinsyde Type A Mark II biplane was purchased and put on 24-hour standby at Croydon Airport to allow Michael Collins to escape back to Ireland if
7198-405: The Dublin contract in 1999. On 2 July 1999, Captains Dave O'Flaherty and Mick Baker, Sergeant Pat Mooney and Corporal Niall Byrne were tragically killed when their Dauphin (#248) crashed into sand dunes at Tramore Beach, County Waterford. The crash only emphasised the limits of the Air Corps SAR helicopters, as the Alouette was only available during daylight hours and the Dauphin was small and had
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#17328456183207316-419: The EC135 and CASA are also used for the MATS. The Garda Air Support Unit is a unit of the Garda Síochána that provides specialist air support for Ireland's national police force. The Air Corps, in conjunction with the Department of Justice and Equality, operates three aircraft for the Garda Air Support role: two Eurocopter EC135 T2 helicopters and a Britten-Norman Defender aircraft. Operational control of
7434-404: The European Union , only co-decision regulations were available until 2022, due to a five-year derogation, requested by the Irish Government when negotiating the language's new official status. The Irish government had committed itself to train the necessary number of translators and interpreters and to bear the related costs. This derogation ultimately came to an end on 1 January 2022, making Irish
7552-473: The Hudson achieved some significant feats during the first half of the war. On 8 October 1939, over Jutland , a Hudson became the first Allied aircraft operating from the British Isles to shoot down an enemy aircraft (earlier victories by a Fairey Battle on 20 September 1939 over Aachen and by Blackburn Skuas of the Fleet Air Arm on 26 September 1939 had been by aircraft based in France or on an aircraft carrier ). Hudsons also provided top cover during
7670-408: The Hurricane Mk. Is of No. 1 Fighter Squadron. Supplied from surplus RAF stocks, the Hurricane Mk. IIcs were the last batch of aircraft to be delivered to the Air Corps before the end of World War II. The Hurricanes were the first monoplane fighter aircraft to enter service with the Air Corps and were also the first aircraft capable of reaching 300 m.p.h. in level flight. The Hurricane gave the Air Corps
7788-435: The Irish exclusive fishery limits. These aircraft are due to be replaced by two CASA CN295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft in 2023 The Air Corps provide a Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) to assist the President and members of the Government in official engagements at both home and abroad. The Learjet 45 is used specifically for this purpose. The Gulfstream IV was previously used in this capacity. The AW139 and occasionally
7906-425: The Irish language policy followed by Irish governments as a "complete and absolute disaster". The Irish Times , referring to his analysis published in the Irish language newspaper Foinse , quoted him as follows: "It is an absolute indictment of successive Irish Governments that at the foundation of the Irish State there were 250,000 fluent Irish speakers living in Irish-speaking or semi Irish-speaking areas, but
8024-433: The Japanese pilots in a dogfight for more than 10 minutes. It was only after Sakai scored hits on the rear/upper turret that the Hudson could be destroyed. Its crew made such an impression on Sakai that, after the war's end, he sought to identify them. In 1997, Sakai wrote formally to the Australian government, recommending that Cowan be "posthumously awarded your country's highest military decoration ". On 23 November 1942,
8142-424: The Republic of Ireland ), new appointees to the Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland , including postal workers , tax collectors , agricultural inspectors, Garda Síochána (police), etc., were required to have some proficiency in Irish. By law, a Garda who was addressed in Irish had to respond in Irish as well. In 1974, in part through the actions of protest organisations like the Language Freedom Movement ,
8260-406: The SAR role. Two of these were modified for operation from the Naval Service Helicopter Patrol vessel LÉ Eithne , and equipped with crashproof fuel tanks and harpoon deck arrester gear. In November 1998, the Air Corps had two Fouga Magisters in service. Two of the six Magisters were to be retired in 1997 and a further two in 1998. In May 1999, the Magisters were to be withdrawn from service. Leaving
8378-425: The State with the capacity to meet security and contingent roles but only receives 12% of Defence Forces funding (see Dáil Defence Vote 2014). The Air Corps provides an air ambulance service (for emergency rapid transfer of patients between hospitals, to hospitals from offshore islands and transferring patients for treatment overseas). The service also transports emergency organ retrieval teams. The aircraft used are
8496-630: The UK. In February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces published a report. For the Air Corps, the report recommended that the service be renamed to the Irish Air Force and advocated for the establishment of a Chief of the Air Force. The Air Corps would change from being "an effective sub branch of the army" to having a "stand-alone command and decision-making structure". The report also recommended three levels of ambition (LOAs) with each level having different recommendations. LOA 1 proposes to maintain
8614-877: The USAAF began operating the Hudson; the Twin Wasp-powered variant was designated the A-28 (82 acquired) and the Cyclone-powered variant was designated the A-29 (418 acquired). The US Navy operated 20 A-29s, redesignated the PBO-1 . A further 300 were built as aircrew trainers, designated the AT-18 . Following Japanese landings at Kota Bharu during the Malayan campaign , Hudsons from No. 1 Squadron RAAF became
8732-785: The Vampire. The PC-9M has six underwing hardpoints, and is normally equipped with two FN HMP250 gun pods , each carrying one M3P machine gun , and two FN LAU-7 rocket pods , each carrying seven 70mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets , in the close air support role. One of the retired Marchettis was kept for the Air Corps Museum, while the remaining six were sold to a private reseller in the United States. On 12 October 2009, Air Corps instructor Captain Derek Furniss, and Cadet David Jevens were tragically killed when their PC-9M (#265) crashed during
8850-659: The acquisition of helicopers and in November 1963, the Air Corps took delivery of its first three helicopters, SA.316B Alouette IIIs , followed by five more in 1972-3. The Alouettes performed search and rescue , troop transport and air ambulance duties. Two Aérospatiale SA342L Gazelle entered service in 1979 to provide helicopter training. The single engine of the Alouette limited its search and rescue range over water, and in 1986 five twin-engined Aérospatiale SA365Fi Dauphin II were acquired for
8968-399: The aircraft remains with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, whereas the Air Corps provide pilots and aircraft technicians to the Garda Air Support Unit that fly and maintain the aircraft. Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish : Gaeilge ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik ), is a Celtic language of
9086-682: The beginning of the following academic year. For a number of years there has been vigorous debate in political, academic and other circles about the failure of most students in English-medium schools to achieve competence in Irish, even after fourteen years of teaching as one of the three main subjects. The concomitant decline in the number of traditional native speakers has also been a cause of great concern. In 2007, filmmaker Manchán Magan found few Irish speakers in Dublin , and faced incredulity when trying to get by speaking only Irish in Dublin. He
9204-654: The company to produce the 250th aircraft seven and a half weeks before the deadline. A total of 350 Mk I and 20 Mk II Hudsons were supplied (the Mk II had different propellers ). These had two fixed Browning machine guns in the nose and two more in the Boulton Paul dorsal turret . The Hudson Mk III added one ventral and two beam machine guns and replaced the 1,100 hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9-cylinder radials with 1,200 hp versions (428 produced). The Hudson Mk V (309 produced) and Mk VI (450 produced) were powered by
9322-668: The creation of the Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) and the acquisition of the Corps' first business jet, a BAe 125 -700 (#238), which served until 1992. This was joined in 1980 by a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 (#240), which also provided multi-engine training. Ireland's accession to the EEC also necessitated sustained maritime patrolling of 342,000 km (132,000 square miles) of ocean. Two Beechcraft Super King Air 200s (#232 and #234) were delivered in 1977-8 to perform this duty. The bad winter of 1962/3 incentivised
9440-683: The crew of a No. 3 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Hudson Mk IIIA, NZ2049 , ( 41-46465 ) after spotting an enemy convoy near Vella Lavella , was engaged by three Japanese floatplane fighters. After skilled evasive manoeuvring at an altitude of less than 50 feet (15 metres), by the Hudson's captain, Flying Officer George Gudsell, the crew returned with no casualties to Henderson Field , Guadalcanal. Hudsons were also operated by RAF Special Duties squadrons for clandestine operations; No. 161 Squadron in Europe and No. 357 Squadron in Burma . After
9558-413: The current size of the Air Corps, while bringing active personnel numbers back up to the current establishment. LOA 2 recommends the development of additional capabilities, including: LOA 3 recommends a further development of Air Corps combat capabilities, including: Under LOA 3, the new Air Force would also be capable of deploying combat pilots, aircraft and support personnel overseas. LOA 2 recommends
9676-468: The end of the famine, and under 17,000 by 1911. Irish is recognised by the Constitution of Ireland as the national and first official language of Republic of Ireland (English being the other official language). Despite this, almost all government business and legislative debate is conducted in English. In 1938, the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League), Douglas Hyde , was inaugurated as
9794-545: The first President of Ireland . The record of his delivering his inaugural Declaration of Office in Roscommon Irish is one of only a few recordings of that dialect. In the 2016 census, 10.5% of respondents stated that they spoke Irish, either daily or weekly, while over 70,000 people (4.2%) speak it as a habitual daily means of communication. From the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922 (see History of
9912-554: The first Allied aircraft to make an attack in the Pacific War , sinking a Japanese transport ship, the Awazisan Maru , off Kota Bharu at 0118h local time, an hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor . Its opponents found that the Hudson had exceptional manoeuvrability for a twin-engine aircraft; it was notable for the tight turns achievable if either engine was briefly feathered . High-scoring Japanese ace Saburō Sakai , praised
10030-502: The first aircraft started flight trials from Burbank, California on 10 December 1938. The flight trials showed no major issues, and deliveries to the RAF began on 15 February 1939. Production was sped up after the British indicated they would order another 50 aircraft if the original 200 could be delivered before the end of 1939. Lockheed sub-contracted some parts assembly to Rohr Aircraft Corp of San Diego and increased its workforce, allowing
10148-568: The initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received. The Hudson served throughout the war, mainly with Coastal Command but also in transport and training roles, as well as delivering agents into occupied France . It was also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force 's anti-submarine squadrons and by the Royal Australian Air Force . In late 1937 Lockheed sent
10266-698: The language family, is derived from the Old Irish term. Endonyms of the language in the various modern Irish dialects include: Gaeilge [ˈɡeːlʲɟə] in Galway, Gaeilg / Gaeilic / Gaeilig [ˈɡeːlʲəc] in Mayo and Ulster , Gaelainn / Gaoluinn [ˈɡeːl̪ˠən̠ʲ] in West/Cork, Kerry Munster , as well as Gaedhealaing in mid and East Kerry/Cork and Waterford Munster to reflect local pronunciation. Gaeilge also has
10384-410: The language was in use by all classes, Irish being an urban as well as a rural language. This linguistic dynamism was reflected in the efforts of certain public intellectuals to counter the decline of the language. At the end of the 19th century, they launched the Gaelic revival in an attempt to encourage the learning and use of Irish, although few adult learners mastered the language. The vehicle of
10502-472: The language. For most of recorded Irish history , Irish was the dominant language of the Irish people , who took it with them to other regions , such as Scotland and the Isle of Man , where Middle Irish gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx . It was also, for a period, spoken widely across Canada , with an estimated 200,000–250,000 daily Canadian speakers of Irish in 1890. On the island of Newfoundland ,
10620-508: The mid-18th century, English was becoming a language of the Catholic middle class, the Catholic Church and public intellectuals, especially in the east of the country. Increasingly, as the value of English became apparent, parents sanctioned the prohibition of Irish in schools. Increasing interest in emigrating to the United States and Canada was also a driver, as fluency in English allowed
10738-771: The name of the language is Gaeilge , from the South Connacht form, spelled Gaedhilge prior the spelling reform of 1948, which was originally the genitive of Gaedhealg , the form used in Classical Gaelic . The modern spelling results from the deletion of the silent ⟨dh⟩ in Gaedhilge . Older spellings include Gaoidhealg [ˈɡeːʝəlˠəɡ] in Classical Gaelic and Goídelc [ˈɡoiðʲelɡ] in Old Irish . Goidelic , used to refer to
10856-463: The new immigrants to get jobs in areas other than farming. An estimated one quarter to one third of US immigrants during the Great Famine were Irish speakers. Irish was not marginal to Ireland's modernisation in the 19th century, as is often assumed. In the first half of the century there were still around three million people for whom Irish was the primary language, and their numbers alone made them
10974-639: The number now is between 20,000 and 30,000." In the 1920s, when the Irish Free State was founded, Irish was still a vernacular in some western coastal areas. In the 1930s, areas where more than 25% of the population spoke Irish were classified as Gaeltacht . Today, the strongest Gaeltacht areas, numerically and socially, are those of South Connemara , the west of the Dingle Peninsula , and northwest Donegal, where many residents still use Irish as their primary language. These areas are often referred to as
11092-619: The number of daily users in Ireland outside the education system, which in 2022 was 20,261 in the Gaeltacht and 51,707 outside it, totalling 71,968. In response to the 2021 census of Northern Ireland , 43,557 individuals stated they spoke Irish on a daily basis, 26,286 spoke it on a weekly basis, 47,153 spoke it less often than weekly, and 9,758 said they could speak Irish, but never spoke it. From 2006 to 2008, over 22,000 Irish Americans reported speaking Irish as their first language at home, with several times that number claiming "some knowledge" of
11210-498: The other official language, if not already passed in both official languages. In November 2016, RTÉ reported that over 2.3 million people worldwide were learning Irish through the Duolingo app. Irish president Michael D. Higgins officially honoured several volunteer translators for developing the Irish edition, and said the push for Irish language rights remains an "unfinished project". There are rural areas of Ireland where Irish
11328-539: The political party holding power in the Stormont Parliament , the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was hostile to the language. The context of this hostility was the use of the language by nationalists. In broadcasting, there was an exclusion on the reporting of minority cultural issues, and Irish was excluded from radio and television for almost the first fifty years of the previous devolved government. After
11446-487: The relationship between the three Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx). Gaelic is a collective term for the Goidelic languages, and when the context is clear it may be used without qualification to refer to each language individually. When the context is specific but unclear, the term may be qualified, as Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic or Manx Gaelic. Historically the name "Erse" ( / ɜːr s / URS )
11564-532: The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) recommended acquiring primary radar under Level of Ambition (LOA) 2. In September 2022, The Irish Times reported that it would cost over €100 million to procure primary radar. In November 2023, the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission of the Defence Forces (DIP-CoDF) stated that the recommendation to develop a primary radar
11682-483: The requirement for entrance to the public service was changed to proficiency in just one official language. Nevertheless, Irish remains a required subject of study in all schools in the Republic of Ireland that receive public money (see Education in the Republic of Ireland ). Teachers in primary schools must also pass a compulsory examination called Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge . As of 2005, Garda Síochána recruits need
11800-625: The revival was the Gaelic League ( Conradh na Gaeilge ), and particular emphasis was placed on the folk tradition, which in Irish is particularly rich. Efforts were also made to develop journalism and a modern literature. Although it has been noted that the Catholic Church played a role in the decline of the Irish language before the Gaelic Revival, the Protestant Church of Ireland also made only minor efforts to encourage use of Irish in
11918-598: The skill and fighting abilities of an RAAF Hudson crew killed in action over New Guinea after being engaged by nine highly manoeuvrable Mitsubishi A6M Zeroes on 22 July 1942. The crew, captained by P/O Warren Cowan, in Hudson Mk IIIA A16-201 (bu. no. 41-36979 ) of No. 32 Squadron RAAF , was intercepted over Buna by nine Zeroes of the Tainan Kaigun Kōkūtai led by Sakai. The Hudson crew accomplished many aggressive and unexpected turns, engaging
12036-405: The state, the five remaining Cessna 172 aircraft were retired from service after amassing 63,578 flight hours total. The Cessnas were replaced with several Pilatus PC-12NG aircraft during 2020. The first PC-12NG utility transport variant was delivered in April 2020, followed by three PC-12NG 'Spectre' aerial surveillance variants in September 2020. During the 2011 Libyan civil war , the Air Corps
12154-567: The stationing of rescue helicopters at regional airports instead of a centralised service. The government accepted the recommendations and established the Irish Marine Emergency Service (IMES), now the Irish Coast Guard in 1991. Irish Helicopters operated the first privatised SAR helicopter, a Sikorsky S-61 N, from Shannon in 1991. This service was later taken over by Bond Helicopters (now CHC Helicopter ) in 1997 who also won
12272-615: The talks failed. The plane was not needed for this mission, and it became the first aircraft of the new National Army Air Service arriving in June 1922. The National Army Air Service was established in July 1922 and was gradually equipped with various aircraft types acquired from the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Aircraft Disposal Company . This company had been formed in 1919 to dispose of surplus aircraft and aero-engines from World War I for
12390-658: The vacancy to which they are appointed. This requirement is laid down by the University College Galway Act, 1929 (Section 3). In 2016, the university faced controversy when it announced the planned appointment of a president who did not speak Irish. Misneach staged protests against this decision. The following year the university announced that Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh , a fluent Irish speaker, would be its 13th president. He assumed office in January 2018; in June 2024, he announced he would be stepping down as president at
12508-552: The war, numbers of Hudsons were sold by the military for civil operation as airliners and survey aircraft. In Australia, East-West Airlines of Tamworth, New South Wales (NSW), operated four Hudsons on scheduled services from Tamworth to many towns in NSW and Queensland between 1950 and 1955. Adastra Aerial Surveys based at Sydney's Mascot Airport operated seven L-414s between 1950 and 1972 on air taxi, survey and photographic flights. A total of 2,941 Hudsons were built. The type formed
12626-594: The work of such writers as Geoffrey Keating , is said to date from the 17th century, and was the medium of popular literature from that time on. From the 18th century on, the language lost ground in the east of the country. The reasons behind this shift were complex but came down to a number of factors: The change was characterised by diglossia (two languages being used by the same community in different social and economic situations) and transitional bilingualism (monoglot Irish-speaking grandparents with bilingual children and monoglot English-speaking grandchildren). By
12744-523: Was also sometimes used in Scots and then in English to refer to Irish; as well as Scottish Gaelic. Written Irish is first attested in Ogham inscriptions from the 4th century AD, a stage of the language known as Primitive Irish . These writings have been found throughout Ireland and the west coast of Great Britain. Primitive Irish underwent a change into Old Irish through the 5th century. Old Irish, dating from
12862-508: Was based at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel – before being moved to Weston Aerodrome at Leixlip . Here the Corps continued its involvement, providing aircrew and engineering staff to support films such as Darling Lili , Von Richthofen and Brown , Zeppelin and a number of television commercials. Lynn Garrison was also responsible for coordinating the first demonstration of the Marchetti SF-260 Warrior at Baldonnel. As
12980-643: Was enacted 1 July 2019 and is an 18-page document that adheres to the guidelines of the Official Languages Act 2003 . The purpose of the Scheme is to provide services through the mediums of Irish and/or English. According to the Department of the Taoiseach, it is meant to "develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's Programme and to build
13098-505: Was establishing itself as the primary language. Irish speakers had first arrived in Australia in the late 18th century as convicts and soldiers, and many Irish-speaking settlers followed, particularly in the 1860s. New Zealand also received some of this influx. Argentina was the only non-English-speaking country to receive large numbers of Irish emigrants, and there were few Irish speakers among them. Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson
13216-508: Was listed in November 2023. The Irish Air Corps lacks primary radar to detect aircraft in Irish controlled airspace who have switched off their transponders, like hijacked aircraft and incursions by Russian aircraft. The 2015 White Paper on Defence stated that, if additional funding became available, the acquisition of a radar surveillance capability for the Air Corps would be a priority. The White Paper on Defence Update 2019 reported that no additional funding had been provided. In February 2022,
13334-465: Was passed 14 July 2003 with the main purpose of improving the number and quality of public services delivered in Irish by the government and other public bodies. Compliance with the Act is monitored by the An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner) which was established in 2004 and any complaints or concerns pertaining to the Act are brought to them. There are 35 sections included in
13452-464: Was planned to be completed by 2028. The 2022 CoDF recommended under LOA 2 that eight super‐medium helicopters should be acquired when the existing fleet of medium-lift helicopters is due to be replaced. The 2023 DIP-CoDF stated that the acquisition could be completed by 2028. Since the retirement of the Magister in 1999, Ireland has lacked an air intercept capability. However, since 1952 Ireland has had
13570-678: Was spoken throughout Ireland, Isle of Man and parts of Scotland . It is the language of a large corpus of literature, including the Ulster Cycle . From the 12th century, Middle Irish began to evolve into modern Irish in Ireland, into Scottish Gaelic in Scotland, and into the Manx language in the Isle of Man . Early Modern Irish , dating from the 13th century, was the basis of the literary language of both Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland. Modern Irish, sometimes called Late Modern Irish, as attested in
13688-416: Was supplemented by a Eurocopter EC135 T2 (#256) in 2003, and replaced by a second EC135 T2 (#272) which arrived in January 2008. During the 1990s and 2000s, the Air Corps gradually lost its search and rescue (SAR) role. In 1990, an inquiry chaired by retired Garda Commissioner Eamonn Doherty into Ireland's air sea rescue recommended transferring this service from the Air Corps to a new emergency service, and
13806-646: Was tasked with evacuating approximately forty Irish citizens from the troubled country. The operation involved two Air Corps aircraft (the Learjet and one CN-235), and nine personnel, using Malta as a temporary base. There was much criticism of Ireland's inability to rescue its own citizens in the 2021 Kabul and 2023 Sudan evacuations due to Ireland's lack of a long-range, heavy-lift aircraft. In August 2021, Ireland has to ask France and Finland to rescue 36 Irish citizens from Kabul. In April 2023, over 90 Irish citizens were evacuated from Sudan by aircraft from France, Spain and
13924-442: Was unable to accomplish some everyday tasks, as portrayed in his documentary No Béarla . There is, however, a growing body of Irish speakers in urban areas, particularly in Dublin. Many have been educated in schools in which Irish is the language of instruction. Such schools are known as Gaelscoileanna at primary level. These Irish-medium schools report some better outcomes for students than English-medium schools. In 2009,
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