IRA/INV Uniform

[Unknownsoldier]

Hi Guys,

Just looking for some info, I have a pic of my Great grandfather aged 14 as an Irish Volunteer (we believe he became a lieutenant, and there is note a Patrick "
Paddy" Mullally was captured in 1922 leading an IRA column.... he was born same time and county as my g-grandad but who knows...).

Can anyone tell me his chest insignia and uniform please, plus any help with research would be great

Tom

[John Mulcahy]

The uniform in that photo does not look like an INV uniform, rather a National Army uniform. Did he join the Free State Army formed in early 1922 after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty
?

To the best on my knowledge the badge on the chest is unofficial.

John

[Unknownsoldier]

Hi,

I am going by family legend, (the age on the back was written by my now deceased grandmother, in the early 2000s), that he was a volunteer, possibly her thoughts when he was 14? And we have a military truncheon (there was also a webley revolver lost from family hands many many moons back), liberated from a Black and Tan, which has been corroborated by other family members... he then did some stuff in Ireland (family lore goes sketchy), and then moves to England and lives near Salop on a farm if memory serves.... I have the truncheon still a wooden one filled lead by the weight of it, and stamped MP (Military Police??) He wasn't proud of his irish service if I remember rightly....

I wondered if the badge on his chest might have been the circular volunteers lapel badge?? Which he wore as a sort of "distinction", theres few irish army websites I can find to help

Tom

[John Mulcahy]

Tom

as a starting point you might try Irish Military Archives. The 1922 census is on line which may be fruitful regarding your ancestor. Otherwise there are contact details you can use to determine if he served with the National Army (so-called Free State Army)

link

http://www.militaryarchives.ie/

if this does not yield rewards I have some friends who have written on the subject of the Volunteers who may be willing to advise you on how best to do your research. Let me know if you need to follow this up if the archives do not yield anything.


John

[ebro]

Tom,
I also think it is a Free State Army uniform. Many of the members of the new Free State Army (1922) had been Irish Volunteers and/or IRA.
Eddie

[GriffMJ]

Hope this helps...

[Unknownsoldier]

Brilliant guys thanks

Tom

[connaught]

Originally Posted by Unknownsoldier

Hi Guys,

Just looking for some info, I have a pic of my Great grandfather aged 14 as an Irish Volunteer (we believe he became a lieutenant, and there is note a Patrick "
Paddy" Mullally was captured in 1922 leading an IRA column.... he was born same time and county as my g-grandad but who knows...).

Can anyone tell me his chest insignia and uniform please, plus any help with research would be great

Tom

4 years later I get back to this pic. I believe the circular badge on his chest could be a "Fainne". It was worn by those that had fluency in Gaelige (Irish)