British Army records 30pc rise in recruits from Ireland with nearly a thousand people joining from the Republic within the last three years.

28 comments

  1. Obviously there has always been a tradition of people joining the British Army from Ireland. I never would have imagined the number is that high though. Nearly a thousand joining in three years is fairly mad considering the Irish Army itself is only about 7,000 strong.

  3. Not surprised either considering we only see ads for joining the brittish army on TV. Also have you heard of the crap the PDF has to put up with.

  4. I honestly wonder if it might spike now after Top Gun. I do wonder if there will be any lads who will want to become fighter pilots.

  5. “With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne. Only takes one itchy trigger,
    one more widow, one less white ‘igger” – Oliver’s Army

  10. I’m not surprised, we’ve a very low cut off age for recruitment in Ireland so anyone older than 25 is going to see it as their best chance. It’s a bigger military too so more chances for overseas trips, promotion, etc.

    Ireland has been a traditional recruiting ground for the British Army for years, that won’t change overnight.

  12. I don’t understand the ballshy offhand comments of Irish soldiers being “shit” or “boys with toys” etc. There well trained and I’ve got a lot of respect for what they do. Going out to countries in civil unrest and risking their lives to support humanitarian aid in such regions. It’s not the soldiers that are the problem, it’s the neglect they are given from the government via funding. Which just adds to my respect of those in the IDF because they’re willing to put up with the bs to try and make a difference.

  13. Could there be any more shameful act than an Irish person joining the British army in this day and age?

    Honestly that beggars belief, even considering the state of the Irish army.

    Have they no moral compass at all?

  14. You know, if your own mother, aunt and uncle had to get down on their hands and knees and crawl away while the British army sprayed bullets into their crowd of innocent people, killing 14 of them, you might think twice about what the British army stand for. That was not that long ago and they haven’t changed their tune half as much as ye might like to think since those days.

  15. Funny how all the west Brits don’t actually engage in any conversation, they just silently down vote you because if they had to engage they’d have nothing real to say.

  17. Jaysis I got downvoted for saying the PDF is in a state 🙂

    Lads, it is. I’ve served over 24 years in the Irish army, 2 in the FCA 97-99 and PDF 99-22.

    I have trained recruits, NCOs etc and have served in the middle east and Africa.

    The Government has no strategic interest in the Defence Forces, and the DOD control policy and procurement. We are in a heap, thats the honest truth.

    Its no wonder lads are joining the Brits.

    Instead of downvoting me, why dont you join up!

  21. To put it in perspective the Irish Air core still have propeller planes in service. It would be great to see investment in the defense forces, but unfortunately it will never happen.

  24. Reads title – let’s see what the Cletuses who never left their parish have to say about this. I look forward to some 16 year old’s nuanced views while mammy makes dindins. I’m sure the miserable bastards of this subreddit will have grasped the subtleties of the UK/Eire relationship and why this might happen. This thread will be full of sensible statements.

  26. If you’re Irish and you join the British army you’re a fucking disgrace. They shouldn’t be allowed back into the country.

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