Ireland's Military Story

Category: Irish Diaspora

  • Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nick Collier – F Troop “Blue Ghost” 8th Cavalry Regiment U S Army,1968–1971

    Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nick Collier – F Troop “Blue Ghost” 8th Cavalry Regiment U S Army,1968–1971

    Chief Warrant Officer 2 – Nick Collier

    F Troop “Blue Ghost” 8th Cavalry Regiment U S Army,1968–1971

    Nick after graduating helicopter flight school.

    Carlow native Nick Collier is one of the tens of thousands who left Ireland in the 1950s and 60s to find work abroad. Leaving Ballinkillin Nick settled in the United States trained as a motor mechanic. Military service was not on his mind. His father had served in the Great War and the fledgling Irish Defence Forces, while his brother served as an Irish peacekeeper with the UN in the Congo. At the time, the Vietnam War was raging.

    Enlisting in 1968, Nick soon found himself in the US Army helicopter school. He deployed to Vietnam with F Troop ‘Blue Ghost’ 8th Cavalry Regiment. F Troop “Blue Ghost” served in Vietnam from 1 April 1968, until February 26, 1973. Initially organised on 27 October, 1866 as Company F, 8th Cavalry Regiment, the troop was reactivated in Vietnam using assets of C Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment and was assigned to the “Americal” 23rd Infantry Division to provide aerial reconnaissance for the division. Flying Bell Cobra gunships, Nick would experience a different war from the air between 1968 and 1971. Following military service Nick trained as a commercial pilot and went on to become a successful engineer.

    Today Nick lives in Texas where he writes poetry and plays. He has never forgotten Carlow, still calling it home he returns regularly. We captured Nick’s story on one of his visits home to Ireland.

    Nick is one of the unknown number of Irish who served in Vietnam. If you know of an Irish veteran or served yourself and would like to tell your story please get in touch.

    A sketch of Nick in Vietnam.

    We would like to thank Irish Veterans CLG for their support in this video and Castletown House and Parklands for permission to record Nick’s story on the grounds.

    Crest of F Troop “Blue Ghost”.

  • Inauguration of Irish American Joe Biden as US President

    Inauguration of Irish American Joe Biden as US President

    Inauguration of Irish American – Joe Biden – as US President

    Today Presentient Elect Joe Biden was inaugurated the 46th President of the United States. President Biden’s affinity with Ireland is well known. He is among 23 United States presidents of Irish heritage.

    Chief Justice Roberts administers the Oath of Office to President Biden. (Photo: Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies)

    President Biden’s Irish lineage is through his maternal line: the Blewitt family from Ballina, County Mayo and the Finnegan family from the Cooley, Peninsula in County Louth. His great-great-great-grandfather, Edward Blewitt, emigrated to the United States in 1851; indications are the family followed their son Patrick who had left in 1850. The Blewitts settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In the late 1840s Biden’s great-great-grandfather, Owen Finnegan, left County Louth with his family and settled in Ovid Township, Seneca, New York.

    Two of Owen’s sons fought in the American Civil War, Biden’s great great uncle Michael Finnegan, was killed at Cold Harbor, Virginia, in June 1864, while serving with the Irish Legion. Michael’s brother, Stephen, was wounded at Spotsylvania Courthouse earlier that May. .

    You can read more on President Biden’s Irish connection on genealogist Megan Smolenya website here and more on the Irish Legion on historian Damian Shiels’ website: irishamericancivilwar.com.

  • Antarctic Station – Named After Chilean Irish Founding Father – Reports Covid-19

    Antarctic Station – Named After Chilean Irish Founding Father – Reports Covid-19

    Antarctic Station – Named After Chilean Irish Founding Father – Reports Covid-19

    On Monday the Chilean Army released a statement confirming that Covid-19 has reached the most southern continent on Earth: Antarctica. The report stated that 26 Chilean Army and ten contractors – stationed in the Antarctic research base General Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme – showed symptoms of Covid-19. According to the Chilean military the personnel are being monitored by health authorities in Magallanes, in Chilean Patagonia.

    Bernardo O’Higgins Antarctic Research Station. (Photo: Chilean Army)

    The base is one of 13 Chilean Antarctic stations and is named after one of Chile’s founding fathers: Bernardo O’Higgins whos father was from County Sligo. It lies at 63°19′15″S 57°53′55″W, at an elevation of 13 m, about 30 km south-west of Prime Head, the northernmost point of the Antarctic Peninsula, at Cape Legoupil.

    Bernardo O’Higgins portrait by José Gil de Castro (Instituto Geográfico Militar de Chile)

    Base General Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme or Base Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme was established on 18 February 1948 by the Chilean Antarctic Expedition. It is also the capital of Antártica Commune.

    Bernardo O’Higgins was born in the Chilean city of Chillán in 1778. He was the illegitimate son of Ambrosio O’Higgins, 1st Marquis of Osorno, from County Sligo. A prominent figure during the Chilean independence movement, Bernardo went on to become the second Supreme Director of Chile (1817–1823); the first, holder however, of this title to head a fully independent Chilean state.

    He was Captain General of the Chilean Army, Brigadier of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, General Officer of Gran Colombia and Grand Marshal of Peru.

  • South African Irish Regiment Renamed

    South African Irish Regiment Renamed

    South African Irish Regiment Renamed in Honour of Andrew Mlangeni

    After six years of consultation and engagement 52 reserve units of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have been renamed under the Army’s Name Review, one of them: the South African Irish Regiment. The new names were announced on 7 August. A bulletin stated the new names reflect: “the military traditions and history of indigenous African military formations and the liberation armies involved in the freedom struggle” and the: “unit names adopted are appropriate to the new South Africa and enhance cohesiveness and regimental pride within the Reserves.” The South African Irish Regiment, which is part of the SANDF Defence Reserves Division has been renamed in honour of prominent liberation struggle figure and last surviving Rivonia Trialist: Colonel (Dr) Andrew Mokete Mlangeni.

    The Army Bulletin expressed the diverse military history of South Africa:

    “Currently military traditions in SA Army Reserve units reflect only those from the South African Defence Force (SADF) and its predecessor, the Union Defence Force (UDF). The military traditions and history of indigenous African military formations and liberation armies involved in the freedom struggle have yet to be reflected in SA Army Reserve units…

    It was the aim of the name review process to address this omission in a balanced and innovative way.”

    Some of the units are the oldest in the SANDF, including: the Umvoti Mounted Rifles, Durban Light Infantry, Kimberley Regiment, and the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles in East London. The oldest unit, the Natal Carbineers, for example, was formed in 1855 and renamed the Ingobamakhosi Carbineers. The South African Irish Regiment was formed on the outbreak of the Great War when when three officers (Major George Twomey, Captain J. Jeoffreys and a Captain MacDonald) met at the Irish Club in Johannesburg.

    A bagpiper of the Pipes and Drums of the South African Irish Regiment plays the Lament around the Cenotaph in Johannesburg, Remembrance Sunday 2018. (Photo: SANDF)

    In 1914 the regiment adopted the motto “Quis separabit?” (“Who will separate us?”), during World War II this changed to “Faugh-a-Ballagh” (“Clear the Way”). The regimental cap badge consisted of the Irish harp and the regimental motto. They originally marched to The County Down Militia, this later changed to Killaloe.

    The South African Irish Regiment served with distinction during the Great War and World War II. The regiment transformed throughout the decades, it gained the Freedom of the City of Johannesburg, took part in the Border Wars, and by the early 2000 its members were on deployment with the UN in the Democratic Republic of China.

    Along with their other reserve units, the South African Irish Regimental colours and battle honours will be laid up in parades phased over the coming three-years.