20 Facts About Irish Army

Irish Army, known simply as the Army, is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland.

Irish Army had a new establishment, organisation, rank markings, headdress and orders of dress.

From 1978 to 2001, a battalion of Irish Army troops was deployed in southern Lebanon, as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL.

The Irish Army battalion consisted of 580 personnel which were rotated every six months, plus almost 100 others in UNIFIL headquarters and the Force Mobile Reserve.

Irish Army battalions returned to Lebanon in 2011 – initially with roughly 480 troops deployed in the region.

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From August 1988 until May 1991, Irish Army soldiers were deployed under the UN force UNIIMOG, on the border between Iraq and Iran to supervise the withdrawal of both sides' forces to within their respective borders after the end of the Iran–Iraq War.

The Irish Army provided 177 of the 400 UNIIMOG personnel involved with the mission.

In July 1999, Irish Army officers were sent to East Timor as part of the UNAMET observer group .

The Irish Army troops were based in Camp Clara, near Monrovia and were tasked with acting as the Force Commander's "Quick Reaction Force" in the Monrovia area.

The Irish Army soldiers conducted operations concerned with the delivery of humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, and ensuring the safety of UN personnel.

The Irish Army peacekeepers were attacked by Syrian rebels on 29 November 2013.

The Irish Army convoy came under small arms fire and a Mowag APC later struck a land mine, damaging the vehicle, when driving out of the attack.

Irish Army were involved in a combat mission in August 2014 after 44 Filipino UN troops were captured by the rebel militia Al Nusra.

Irish Army troops were withdrawn into Israeli occupied Golan in 2014.

At home, the Irish Army was deployed to aid the Garda Siochana along the border with Northern Ireland during the conflict known as the Troubles .

The Irish Army provides 24-hour armed security at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison and armed escorts for the Prison Service transporting Ireland's most dangerous criminals.

All enlisted members of the Irish Army undergo 29 weeks of training in order to become a fully trained infantry soldier.

Rank structure of the Irish Army is organised along standard military rank and command structures.

Irish Army has historically purchased and used weapons and equipment from other western countries, mainly from Western European nations.

Irish Army has purchased 80 Swiss made Mowag Piranha Armoured personnel carriers which have become the Irish Army's primary vehicle in the Mechanized infantry role.