The Great War, the last time Ireland fought to defend Europe

There have been many occasions throughout history when Irishmen joined foreign armies to fight and die to protect the freedom of countries in Europe, and the last time this happened was in August 1914 when the Great War started. (If the truth be known these boys, some as young as 15, joined mainly for excitement and adventure and to get away from poverty stricken Ireland.)

Ireland was neutral during the Second World as it has been in all wars since then. That of course did not stop young Irishmen joining the armies who were fighting. I doubt there has been any major conflict since the Great War where Irishmen did not die. The number of gallantry honours they won are proof of their amazing courage.

In the opening days of the Great War, the Germans swiftly advanced through neutral Belgium and were threatening Paris. Redmond, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, who with the support of the Catholic Church in Ireland under the slogan "save Catholic Belgium", called upon the Irish Volunteers to enlist in existing Irish regiments of the British army, in support of the Allied war effort.

The sad thing is that whilst there are a number of War Memorials in Belgium and France, honouring those Irishmen who fell in battle, there are no memorials, in any town in Ireland, honouring the Irish dead to my knowledge, except for the controversial Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Dublin. This memorial commemorates Irishmen who died fighting in the armies of Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, South African, United Kingdom and the United States.

It's a well known joke throughout the armed forces of the world "Irishmen don't care who they fight as long as they fight."

The Duke of Wellington (himself an Irishman) on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, when asked what he thought of his Irish regiments, replied, "I don't know what effect these men will have on the enemy, but by God, they terrify me."

Strange as it may seem but there is still an Irish Regiment in the South African army. Although it's unlikely that there are any Irishmen or of Irish descent serving in its ranks. I imagine it would now be mainly African manned and wonder if they still wear the shamrock and harp insignia and if the regimental commander still marches on to parade with a shillelagh. (spelling?)