ONE in 10 recruits now enlisting in the British army in Northern Ireland is from the Republic.
The numbers travelling across the Border to join have more than doubled in the past year, according to the British army's recruitment office in the North.
The office refused to state exactly how many, but it is understood about 600 are recruited annually.
The British Army, in a statement, indicated that 10.5pc of enlistments in Northern Ireland were from the South.
This compares with 4.5pc the previous year and 3pc in 2005/2006.
Interesting news...but even more interesting that the Border now joins the North and the South with being awarded a Capital First Letter.
6 comments:
Does not surprise me the figures. The Irish armed forces only recruit once a year and are over subscribed meaning they can hold a "competition" on applicants.
Therefore those wanting to pursue a military career have the option of the UK - unless they want to learn French or Spanish and sign up for those countries' foriegn legions (where apart from the language difficulty you risk physical assault for incompetence as part of everyday military discipline - at least that what is was in the 90's).
I remember the case of one of the first casaulties of either Afghanistan or Iraq was a Dubliner. His father had been in the Irish army and he had tried to join as well. But he was not selected in the competition and went to London and enlisted instead in the British one.
His body was sent back to Dublin. The authorities allowed British military personnel to parade in uniform at the funeral (first British military parade since 1922). However his parents forbade a military funeral and there was no flag on the coffin.
If they had gone for a British military funeral I suppose they would have been obliged to bury him at the British military cemetery in Dublin - Grangegorman on Blackhorse Avenue and not far from McKee (formerly Malborogh) barracks. It is still used for former UK military personnel.
For point of reference British military grave markers are forbidden in Glasnevin cemetery due to it being the major nationalist seplucure.
"The North" and "The South":
The Army Press Office must be taking tips from Sinn Fein.
It's not the terminology I'd ever use. I wonder how many rookies from the Irish Republic are British Citizens...
Tim
Tim,
I think the terminology arrived via the Irish Independent.
I welcome the fact that Irish citizens wish to fight for the British army- let's not forget the valuable contribution soldiers (if not its government) from the Free State made towards the British war effort. during WW2
I, too, welcome Irish Citizens in joining up.
Ireland was, of course, part of the UK when the Irish Guards were established; so it's only natural that there'd be a tangible connection.
Tim
Spin spin spin.................Yawns.
Even after the Aberdonians invaluable info regarding the over subscription for the Irish armed forces, and the dead soldiers parents attitude to a military funeral. You bounders still prattle on as if they really really want to fight for king and country. The US armed forces used to offer green cards or entry into college(not sure if this is still the case) Believe me the day we have a Scottish army the surplus from the Irish army will go there.
What's the economics behind being a soldier in the ROI versus in the UK?
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