Volunteer (Irish republican)
Encyclopedia
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary
organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA). Óglach is the equivalent title used in the Irish language
.
. The Irish Rifle Volunteer Corps was established in London in 1859, and later became the London Irish Rifles
. In 1860 in response to the Volunteer Force movement in the rest of the United Kingdom
, the short-lived Royal Irish Rifle Volunteers
was established in Dublin, 1860.
The 1,400 Irish Catholics who enlisted with the Papal Army in 1860, to defend the Papal States
during the Unification of Italy, are cited as being volunteers.
In 1913, the term was adopted into the name of the Ulster Volunteers (Ulster Volunteer Force, UVF), an organisation created to resist Irish Home Rule
. In response and in part inspired by the formation of the UVF, Irish nationalists founded the Irish Volunteers
(Irish Volunteer Force) to defend Home Rule. The Irish Volunteers name in Irish
was Óglaigh na hÉireann
.
In September 1914, a split in the Irish Volunteers, saw the greater majority of its 160,000 membership form the National Volunteers
, with 12,000 members led by Eoin MacNeill
, continuing under the name of the Irish Volunteers. It is from these re-organised Irish Volunteers, that the original IRA, and subsequent organisations of the same name, see themselves as inheritors of, and continue to use Óglaigh na hÉireann as their Irish name.
The regular Irish Defence Forces
also trace their descent back to the Irish Volunteers, with their official Irish name also being Óglaigh na hÉireann.
or a member that does not hold the role of an officer such as Chief of Staff or Quartermaster General
. Use of the term is quite elastic, not only in its application to describe either all members or specifically lower ranks, but also over whether the 'v' is capitalised or not.
Sometimes the term volunteer is used specifically to refer to a low-ranking IRA member. For instance, Joe Cahill
stated in a press conference, after the introduction of internment
in 1971, that the British forces had arrested two "officers" in the Provisional IRA, "the rest are volunteers, or as they say in the British Army
, privates".
However, in other cases, the term is used to refer to all IRA members. For example, Official IRA
member Joe McCann
, killed in 1972 was referred to in commemorations by his rank "Staff Captain" but also as a "Volunteer".
Most modern IRA memorials refer to the dead only as "Volunteer", "Vol." or "Óglach" rather than giving a specific rank.
defines the role of a new volunteer as follows:
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Irish National Liberation Army
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
(INLA). Óglach is the equivalent title used in the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
.
History of the term volunteer in Ireland
The origin of the term volunteer in the context of describing Irish republican paramilitaries is uncertain. In an Irish context on its own, the term was originally used as the name of the late 18th century VolunteersIrish Volunteers (18th century)
The Irish Volunteers were a militia in late 18th century Ireland. The Volunteers were founded in Belfast in 1778 to defend Ireland from the threat of foreign invasion when regular British soldiers were withdrawn from Ireland to fight across the globe during the American War of Independence...
. The Irish Rifle Volunteer Corps was established in London in 1859, and later became the London Irish Rifles
London Irish Rifles
The London Irish Rifles is now known more formally known as "D Company, London Regiment" and is a volunteer Rifle Regiment with a distinguished history...
. In 1860 in response to the Volunteer Force movement in the rest of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the short-lived Royal Irish Rifle Volunteers
Royal Irish Rifle Volunteers
The Royal Irish Rifle Volunteers was a Volunteer Corps established in Dublin, Ireland in 1860, in response to the Volunteer Force movement in the United Kingdom. The establishment of the corps was largely instigated by Colonel Fitzstephen French, of Frenchpark, County Roscommon, an MP for that county...
was established in Dublin, 1860.
The 1,400 Irish Catholics who enlisted with the Papal Army in 1860, to defend the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
during the Unification of Italy, are cited as being volunteers.
In 1913, the term was adopted into the name of the Ulster Volunteers (Ulster Volunteer Force, UVF), an organisation created to resist Irish Home Rule
Irish Home Rule Movement
The Irish Home Rule Movement articulated a longstanding Irish desire for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 by a demand for self-government within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The movement drew upon a legacy of patriotic thought that dated back at least to the late 17th...
. In response and in part inspired by the formation of the UVF, Irish nationalists founded the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
(Irish Volunteer Force) to defend Home Rule. The Irish Volunteers name in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
was Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann , abbreviated ÓnaÉ, is an Irish language idiom that can be translated variously as soldiers of Ireland, warriors of Ireland, volunteers of Ireland or Irish volunteers...
.
In September 1914, a split in the Irish Volunteers, saw the greater majority of its 160,000 membership form the National Volunteers
National Volunteers
The National Volunteers was the name taken by the majority of the Irish Volunteers that sided with Irish Parliamentary Party leader John Redmond after the movement split over the question of the Volunteers' role in World War I.-Origins:...
, with 12,000 members led by Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill was an Irish scholar, nationalist, revolutionary and politician. MacNeill is regarded as the father of the modern study of early Irish medieval history. He was a co-founder of the Gaelic League, to preserve Irish language and culture, going on to establish the Irish Volunteers...
, continuing under the name of the Irish Volunteers. It is from these re-organised Irish Volunteers, that the original IRA, and subsequent organisations of the same name, see themselves as inheritors of, and continue to use Óglaigh na hÉireann as their Irish name.
The regular Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
also trace their descent back to the Irish Volunteers, with their official Irish name also being Óglaigh na hÉireann.
Definition
The term volunteer can be used to describe the entire membership of an Irish republican paramilitary organisation., but can be used to describe a "rank and file" member, similar to that of a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
or a member that does not hold the role of an officer such as Chief of Staff or Quartermaster General
IRA Quartermaster General
The IRA Quartermaster General runs a department which is responsible for obtaining, concealing and maintaining the store of weaponry of the Irish Republican Army....
. Use of the term is quite elastic, not only in its application to describe either all members or specifically lower ranks, but also over whether the 'v' is capitalised or not.
Sometimes the term volunteer is used specifically to refer to a low-ranking IRA member. For instance, Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill was a prominent Irish republican and former chief of staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .- Background :In May 1920, Cahill was born in Divis Street in West Belfast, Ireland, where his parents had been neighbours of the Scottish-born Irish revolutionary James Connolly.Cahill...
stated in a press conference, after the introduction of internment
Operation Demetrius
Operation Demetrius began in Northern Ireland on the morning of Monday 9 August 1971. Operation Demetrius was launched by the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary and involved arresting and interning people accused of being paramilitary members...
in 1971, that the British forces had arrested two "officers" in the Provisional IRA, "the rest are volunteers, or as they say in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, privates".
However, in other cases, the term is used to refer to all IRA members. For example, Official IRA
Official IRA
The Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA is an Irish republican paramilitary group whose goal was to create a "32-county workers' republic" in Ireland. It emerged from a split in the Irish Republican Army in December 1969, shortly after the beginning of "The Troubles"...
member Joe McCann
Joe McCann
Joe McCann was an Irish Republican Army and later Official Irish Republican Army volunteer from Belfast. He was active in politics from the early 1960s and participated, as an Official IRA volunteer, in the early years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He was killed after being confronted by...
, killed in 1972 was referred to in commemorations by his rank "Staff Captain" but also as a "Volunteer".
Most modern IRA memorials refer to the dead only as "Volunteer", "Vol." or "Óglach" rather than giving a specific rank.
The role of a volunteer
The Green BookThe Green Book (IRA training manual)
The IRA Green Book is a training and induction manual issued by the Irish Republican Army to new volunteers. It was used by the post-Irish Civil War Irish Republican Army and Cumann na mBan, , along with offspring groupings such as the Provisional IRA...
defines the role of a new volunteer as follows:
- General Order number 1: "The duties of a Volunteer shall be at the discretion of a unit commander ... A Volunteer who for any reason, ceases to maintain contact with his or her unit for a period of three months shall automatically cease to be a member of the army."
- General Order number 2: "Volunteers when making the Army Declaration promise; to obey all orders and regulations issued by the Army Authority and any superior officers. Where an order issued by a duly accredited officer has been disobeyed, the Volunteer in question must be suspended immediately, pending investigation of the case."