Royal Irish Regiment (1992)

Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment)
Cap badge of the Royal Irish Regiment
Active1 July 1992–present
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeLine Infantry
Role1st Battalion – Light Recce
2nd Battalion – Light infantry (Army Reserve)
SizeTwo battalions
Part ofUnion Division
Garrison/HQRHQ – Holywood
1st Battalion – Ternhill
2nd Battalion – Lisburn
Motto(s)"Faugh A Ballagh" (Irish)
"Clear the Way"
ColoursGreen, Black
MarchQuick – Killaloe
Slow – Eileen Alannah
Mascot(s)Irish Wolfhound (Brian Boru X)
AnniversariesBarrosa Day, 5 March; Somme Day, 1 July
EngagementsKosovo War
Sierra Leone Civil War
Operation Banner
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Colonel-in-ChiefThe Duchess of Edinburgh
Colonel of
the Regiment
Major General Colin Weir
Commanding Officer 1st BattalionLieutenant Colonel Andy Bourne
Notable
commanders
Col Tim Collins[1]
Insignia
DZ Tactical Recognition Flash
TartanSaffron (pipes)
HackleGreen
From Royal Irish Rangers
AbbreviationR IRISH

The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment) (R IRISH) is an 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, 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 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.

  1. ^ Sivills-McCann, David (13 September 2021). "Massed Bands From All Four Of Army's Irish Regiments Share The Stage". Forces Network. Retrieved 13 September 2021.

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