36-677: Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment Thiepval Barracks is a British Army barracks and headquarters in Lisburn , County Antrim . It is located near to the Harmony Hill area in Lisburn , a predominately Unionist area. It is also the site of the stone frigate HMS Hibernia , of the Royal Navy Reserve in Northern Ireland . The barracks were built in 1940. They are named after
72-620: Is also home to University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) Belfast. The barracks remain home to: Royal Irish Regiment (1992) The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment) ( R IRISH ) is a light infantry regiment of the British Army . The regiment was founded in 1992 through the amalgamation of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment . Their oldest predecessor,
108-456: Is made of the tune in the Regimental history, but there is an explanation that may account for the shout or yell in the military version of Killaloe. Historically, in the 1st Battalion (Connaught Rangers), formerly the 88th, a favourite march tune was "Brian Boru" played when marching through a town - often after a hot and heavy march. On such occasions, and at a time given by the sergeant major,
144-662: Is not named, but would have been either the Royal Irish Fusiliers or the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Again in 1944, the BBC recorded the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Pipes & Drums playing Killaloe, by then adopted unofficially as the march of the 38th (Irish) Brigade , during the approach to Monte Cassino . Killaloe was adopted by the Royal Irish Rangers on its formation and again later by
180-623: The 19th Brigade . It is headquartered at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn . The regiment recruits from Northern Ireland , the Republic of Ireland and those across the UK with Irish ancestry . Up to May 2010, 32 Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the families of Royal Irish personnel. In memory of a 2006 battle in the Afghan town of Musa Qala , a new Regimental March, composed by Chris Attrill and commissioned by Larne Borough Council ,
216-741: The 27th Regiment of Foot , was first raised in June 1689 to fight in the Williamite War in Ireland . Other notable regiments in their lineage include the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers , Royal Irish Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) . The motto of the regiment is Faugh A Ballagh ( Modern Irish : Fág an Bealach ), derived from the Irish Gaelic phrase for "Clear
252-470: The Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), and the 2nd battalion were the first Territorial Army company strength grouping to provide OMLT training from NATO forces. They were also the first TA Company to fully man Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) within the green zone . One company of the 1st Battalion, attached to 2 PARA, named Ranger Company, undertook offensive operations in
288-511: The Defence in a Competitive Age programme and subsequent Future Soldier, the 1st Battalion will transfer to the 16 Air Assault Brigade . The 1st Battalion (1 R IRISH) is a Light Recce Strike Infantry unit and comes under the 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team . Its personnel are based at Clive Barracks in Tern Hill . The 2nd Battalion (2 R IRISH) is an Army Reserve infantry unit and comes under
324-624: The Falkland Islands in March 1987. Under the Options for Change reorganisation, the Royal Irish Rangers were amalgamated with the Ulster Defence Regiment to form the new Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) in 1992. Accommodating the traditions of the three regiments required compromise: In addition all ranks of the new regiment were to wear 'piper green' trousers. The Territorial battalions formed
360-515: The Sangin area of Helmand Province. The 1st Battalion lost Ranger Justin Cupples to an improvised explosive device (IED) during HERRICK VIII. Both battalions again deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade to Afghanistan on HERRICK XIII from September 2010. Based in the southern part of Helmand, they lost Lance Corporal Stephen McKee, Ranger Aaron McCormick and Ranger David Dalzell during HERRICK XIII. Under
396-595: The Ulster Defence Regiment in 1992 to form the Royal Irish Regiment . The Royal Irish Rangers came into being on 1 July 1968 through the amalgamation of the three regiments of the North Irish Brigade : the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers , the Royal Ulster Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusiliers . The date was initially known as "Vesting Day" (and then "Rangers Day"), emphasising that the traditions of
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#1732837352590432-456: The 4th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers (North Irish Militia) which also included the sole London Irish Rifles company and the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers. The two TA battalions trained as units until 1993 when following the Options for Change White Paper, they were merged to form the 4/5th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers (Volunteers). The Regimental Quick March is Killaloe . It was written around 1887 by an Irish composer, Robert Martin, for
468-711: The British Army since 1922 . With the creation of the "Divisions of Infantry", the Royal Irish Rangers became part of the King's Division , along with regiments from the north of England. The 1st Battalion moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer , Germany in September 1970 from where units were deployed to Cyprus on peacekeeping duties in November 1971. The battalion returned home in July 1974 where it
504-463: The London Musical "Miss Esmeralda". The lyrics relate the story of a French teacher attempting to make himself understood to a difficult Killaloe class. Originally in 2/4 time , it was made well known in military circles by a cousin of the composer - Lt. Charles Martin of the 88th Connaught Rangers (The Devil's Own). He composed new lyrics, in 6/8 time , celebrating his Regiment's fame. No mention
540-588: The Royal Irish Regiment on its amalgamation in 1992. The soldiers often put their own words to the tune which would be sung, sotto voce , as they marched: (Oh) We're the Irish Rangers, The boys who fear no danger, We're the boys from Paddy 's land YO! Shut up you bugger s and fight Colonels of the Regiment were: *1992 Regiment amalgamated with Ulster Defence Regiment to form
576-762: The TA battalion, was renamed as 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment. The 1st Battalion returned from six months in Iraq on Op TELIC VI/VII in May 2006 having served in the Shaibah Logistics Base near Basra. Although the majority of the battalion was deployed around the MND(SE) area a single company was deployed to Baghdad. Three platoons of the 1st Battalion (Barrosa, Somme and Ranger Platoons) deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade and supported 3rd Parachute Regiment,
612-705: The Troubles in September 1988. The 2nd Battalion, which had been based in Gibraltar on formation, returned home in October 1969. It moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer in July 1974 from where it deployed to Cyprus in January 1975. After returning home in March 1979, it moved to Wavell Barracks in Berlin in October 1981 and back to England in March 1983. It deployed to Cyprus in May 1985 and to
648-602: The Way". This originates from the Peninsular War when Ensign Edward Keogh of the 87th Regiment of Foot let out the cry while capturing a French Imperial Eagle at the Battle of Barrosa . The Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Irish Regiment has been Palace Barracks in County Down , Northern Ireland since moving there in 2008. With an antecedence reaching back to 1688, the regiment
684-560: The West Side Boys suffering severe casualties in the action. The Colonel-in-Chief, the Duke of York presented the regiment new colours to St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh on 16 June 2001: there is a plaque commemorating this event in the south aisle. The 1st Battalion deployed to Iraq at the beginning of Operation Telic in March 2003, where they carried out operations in
720-591: The band would pause and all ranks would give a "Connaught yell". The march became popular among the other Irish regiments and various other sets of lyrics were devised. On parade, soldiers of the Royal Irish Rangers gave a spine-tingling "Ranger yell"; this continues with the Royal Irish Regiment . The first known recording of Killaloe was made by Richard Dimbleby when serving as a BBC war correspondent in Northern France shortly before Dunkirk . The "Famous Irish Regiment" Dimbleby reports playing as they march past
756-512: The barracks also became home to 39 Infantry Brigade and provided the headquarters for the Ulster Defence Regiment . The brigade, as 39 Airportable Brigade, was involved in The Troubles in Northern Ireland, eventually taking on responsibility under HQ Northern Ireland for an area including Belfast and the eastern side of the province, but excluding the South Armagh border region. For most of
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#1732837352590792-479: The bunker would support over one hundred ROC volunteers and a ten-man United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation warning team, responsible for the famous four-minute warning in the event of a nuclear strike on the UK. The ROC would also detect radioactive fallout from the nuclear bursts and warn the public of approaching fallout. The two organisations were stood down at the end of the Cold War . In early 1970,
828-555: The conflict, signals support for the brigade was provided by 213 Signal Squadron. From September 1970, the brigade was commanded by (then) Brigadier Frank Kitson . On 7 October 1996 the Provisional Irish Republican Army penetrated the heavily fortified base to detonate two car bombs . The first detonated at 15:35 GMT followed by the second around ten minutes later close to the base's medical facilities where victims were gathering. Warrant Officer James Bradwell (43)
864-655: The end of Operation Banner, and with it the disbandment of the Home Service battalions. A redundancy package was announced in March 2006. The Home Service battalions were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) by the Queen in Belfast on 6 October 2006. The home service battalions were declared non-operational in October 2006, and disbanded in July 2007. At the same time, the Royal Irish Rangers , then serving as
900-489: The harp-and-crown cap badge of the Ulster Defence Regiment. Sticks made of blackthorn are carried by commissioned officers of the Royal Irish Regiment. Colonels of the regiment have been: Royal Irish Rangers The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd and 87th) was a regular light infantry regiment of the British Army with a relatively short existence, formed in 1968 and later merged with
936-684: The latter forming 9 Platoon, C Coy, 3 PARA. They were involved in some of the heaviest fighting during HERRICK IV . Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch and Fijian Ranger Anare Draiva were killed by the Taliban during HERRICK IV. In summer 2007 the Regimental Headquarters moved from St Patrick's Barracks , Ballymena to Palace Barracks , Belfast . Both battalions deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. The 1st battalion provided Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) to assist in training
972-499: The old regiments were "vested" in the new large regiment. Soon after creation in December 1968, and as part of a general reduction in the Army, the 3rd Battalion (former Royal Irish Fusiliers) was disbanded. The three regiments had old and differing traditions (Rifle and Fusilier) and to avoid favouring one above another, the unique designation "Rangers" was adopted. The title had not existed in
1008-581: The role formerly occupied by the UDR, assisting the Royal Ulster Constabulary (with a focus on combating militant Irish republicanism ), in Northern Ireland during Operation Banner . The 1st and 2nd Battalions could serve worldwide as general service battalions. Because of its size, the regiment was removed from the King's Division and existed within its own division of infantry. In August 1993,
1044-557: The south of the country. Its (now-retired) commanding officer , Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for distinguished service. The number of Home Service battalions were reduced to three by April 2003: In 2005, the Provisional Irish Republican Army announced an end to its armed campaign. In response the British government announced
1080-584: The two regular battalions were amalgamated as the 1st battalion. In 2000 in Sierra Leone , whilst deployed to train government troops, eleven Royal Irish soldiers and their local army liaison officer were captured by the West Side Boys insurgents . Five hostages were later released and the remaining six were freed by the Special Air Service and The Parachute Regiment during Operation Barras : with
1116-636: The village of Thiepval in northern France, an important site in the Battle of the Somme and site of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme . From 1954, the barracks contained the operational headquarters of No 31 Belfast Group Royal Observer Corps (ROC) who operated from a protected nuclear bunker on Knox Road within Thiepval Barracks. Converted from a 1940s anti-aircraft operations room (AAOR),
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1152-480: Was disbanded and handed over responsibility to HQ 39 Infantry Brigade at Thiepval Barracks on 1 September 2006. On 1 August 2007, the brigade was amalgamated with 107 (Ulster) Brigade when the new non-deployable brigade HQ, the 38 (Irish) Brigade , was formed in the province. Since 2009, Thiepval Barracks has been home to the stone frigate HMS Hibernia , Northern Ireland's only Royal Naval Reserve unit. The unit numbers approximately 100 officers and ratings, and
1188-408: Was formed in 1992. The creation followed the Options for Change proposals which recommended the amalgamation of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). Most of the membership of the new regiment came from the UDR. This produced an overwhelmingly Ulster Protestant regiment with eleven battalions : The Home Service battalions, permanently based in Northern Ireland, filled
1224-501: Was given to the regiment on Saturday 1 November 2008 in Larne , County Antrim , during an event in which the regiment was also presented with the 'Freedom of the Borough'. This gives the regiment the right to march through the town with "flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed". The March was named Musa Qala . The uniform combines elements of the uniform of the Royal Irish Rangers with
1260-528: Was killed and 21 soldiers and 10 civilians were injured. This bombing was the first major attack on a military base in Northern Ireland since the ending of the IRA's ceasefire with the 1996 Docklands bombing . The 39 Infantry Brigade took on some units from 3 Brigade when that brigade was disbanded on 1 September 2004. The HQ 8 Infantry Brigade , based in Shackleton Barracks , Ballykelly, County Londonderry ,
1296-694: Was stationed in Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster it became the infantry demonstration Battalion. Two years later it moved to RAF Little Rissington in the Cotswolds , before being sent to Berlin in May 1979. After returning home in April 1981 the battalion moved to Chester bfor 2 yrs before moving to Belfast Barracks in Osnabrück in January 1985. The battalion undertook a deployment to Northern Ireland during
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