Search Results for 'British Army'

This photograph was taken from the first floor of The Galway Arms at 2.25pm on a summer day in 1910 when these people were processing over O’Brien’s Bridge to the site of Saint Mary’s College for the laying of the foundation stone for that school. The large crowd is being led by a group of priests all wearing birettas, followed by several RIC men. There is an interesting mix of styles on view with some women wearing patterned Galway shawls while others are sporting large fashionable hats. Virtually all of the men are wearing headgear, be they hard hats or soft caps. Notice the tramtracks.

In the summer of 1940, following the fall of France to the Germans, thousands of young men enlisted in the Irish Army to defend their land against aggression, training at the Curragh and then being deployed to military barracks around the country.

The Irish have played a major role in the British army from the late 1700s up to Independence and even beyond, fighting in the Napoleonic Wars, the Afghan War, the Crimean War, the South African Wars, World War I, and World War II.

On the “parade ground” at the old disused workhouse, Seamus O’ Brien and his fellow “rookies”- as they were nicknamed- had to receive basic training in foot drill, before progressing to more advanced military exercises.

A member of the Afghan parliament who has survived four assassination attempts will link up by telephone with the Galway Alliance Against War’s New Year’s Day peace party at the rowing club on January 1 at 7pm.