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Originally Posted by boots and saddles
I saw this on ebay ,can anyone identify it as to country etc.
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It is indeed Irish. It is a shoulder title of the Abbyleix Battalion F.C.A. An Forsa Cosanta Aitiul (FCA) was a volunteer and part time local defence force, first organised on Jan 1 1941, reogranised in 1946, integrated into the permanent defence forces in 1959, split from the PDF again c. 1979 and finally replaced by Cultaca an Airm (Army Reserve) in the early 2000's.
This title was worn c. 1953 - c. 1959 . It became F. Coy 9th Inf Bn in the '59 re-org. With the formation of Cultaca an Airm, Abbyleix is in the recruiting area of the 31st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment.
This title is not widely faked (to the best of my knowledge), if genuine is a very desirable item to collectors of Irish Defence Forces Insignia. However, I have seen IDF unit flashes begining to be faked in recent years.
John