Over 400,000 Irishmen fought in WW1 (mainly in the British Army). For a variety of reasons, mainly political, their story has been neglected. In this article you can read about the Irish Regiments of the British Army and the background to the recruiting drive that led so many Irishmen to enlist.

Sgt. Michael Healy, who served with the Royal Munster Fusiliers, was one of the most decorated Irishmen of World War One. Born in Dungarvan, he lived most of his life in Wales.

The study of Ireland and the First World War, until very recently suffered from what the English historian George Boyce has called ‘a symbol of the battle between Unionism and Nationalism’

British rule in Ireland did not end with the Easter Rising of 1916 as many people believe but an event that occurred two years later, what we now call the Conscription Crisis.

Maurice Duggan from Bonmahon, a private in the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, was officially listed as being 19 years of age when he died of wounds at the start of the Battle of Messines.

In 1916, the Allotment Movement emerged in Ireland due to food shortages and the threat of a German blockade, with Dublin and Belfast establishing city allotment schemes. While Belfast saw broad participation across social classes, Dublin’s allotments were mostly taken up by the working class, highlighting the need for self-sufficiency during the war.

World War I began on August 4, 1914, and by Christmas, while a truce occurred on the Western Front, Ireland faced growing nationalist tensions and widespread grief. Irish publications expressed concern over the war’s impact, rising costs, and the loss of lives, making Christmas 1914 a somber time for many.