Though Ireland has no formal honours system, there are systems of awards run by the state. [1] Among those systems is the system of awards and medals awarded to members of the Defence Forces. [2]
In addition to the medals issued by the Irish government, members of the Defence Forces are also allowed to wear medals denoting overseas service. These medals are issued by International organisations like the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union as well as medals from other countries for United Nations Mandated peacekeeping missions.
Emblem | Description | Established | Eligibility Period | Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Military Medal for Gallantry (Irish : An Bonn Míleata Calmachta) | ||||||
Military Medal for Gallantry with Honour (Irish : An Bonn Míleata Calmachta le hOnóir) | 1944 | 1944–present | Known until January 1984 as Military Medal for Gallantry (1st Class). As of 2010, no medal of this class has yet been awarded. [3] | |||
Military Medal for Gallantry with Distinction (Irish : An Bonn Míleata Calmachta le Dearscnacht) | 1944 | 1944–present | Known until January 1984 as Military Medal for Gallantry (2nd Class). Six medals of this class have been awarded since its creation. [4] | |||
Military Medal for Gallantry with Merit (Irish : An Bonn Míleata Calmachta le Tuillteanas) | 1944 | 1944–present | Known until January 1984 as Military Medal for Gallantry (3rd Class). Two medals of this class have been awarded since its creation. [5] | |||
Distinguished Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna) | ||||||
Distinguished Service Medal with Honour (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna le hOnóir) | 18 Feb 1964 | 18 Feb 1964–present | Known until January 1984 as Distinguished Service Medal (1st Class). [6] | |||
Distinguished Service Medal with Distinction (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna le Dearscnacht) | 18 Feb 1964 | 18 Feb 1964–present | Known until January 1984 as Distinguished Service Medal (2nd Class). [7] | |||
Distinguished Service Medal with Merit (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna le Tuillteanas) | 18 Feb 1964 | 18 Feb 1964–present | Known until January 1984 as Distinguished Service Medal (3rd Class). [8] | |||
Good Conduct Medal (Irish : An Bonn Dea-Iompair) | 16 Sep 1987 – 30 Jan 1990 | No longer awarded. [9] | ||||
Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse) | ||||||
Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse) | -present | Awarded to privates and NCOs after 10 years' service. [10] | ||||
Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse) | -present | Awarded to privates and NCOs after 15 years' service in exchange for their previous medal. Awarded to commissioned officers after 15 years' service; officers receive a bar after 20 years' service. [10] | ||||
Service Medal FCÁ and SM (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse FCÁ agus SM) | ||||||
Service Medal FCÁ and SM (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse FCÁ agus SM) | Jun 1961 | Jun 1961– | Awarded to privates, NCOs and Officers of the Reserve Defence Forces after 7 years' service. [11] | |||
Service Medal FCÁ and SM (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse FCÁ agus SM) | Jun 1961 | Jun 1961– | Ribbon and bar awarded to privates, NCOs and Officers of the Reserve Defence Forces after 12 years service which replaces the ribbon of the service medal awarded after 7 years. After 21 years, a bar with the numbers "21" inscribed is awarded and worn on the ribbon. [11] | |||
Emergency Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Éigeandála) | ||||||
Emergency Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Éigeandála) | Oct 1944 | 3 Sep 1939 – 31 Mar 1946 | Awarded to members of the Permanent Defence Force, the Slua Muirí, the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil, Fórsa na nÓglach, 26th Infantry Battalion, the Army Nursing Service, and the Defence Forces Chaplaincy Service. [12] | |||
Emergency Service Medal (Irish : An Bonn Seirbhíse Éigeandála) | Oct 1944 | 3 Sep 1939 – 31 Mar 1946 | Awarded to members of the Local Security Force, the First Aid Division and Volunteer Aid Section of the Irish Red Cross Society, and the Air Raid Precautions Organisation. [12] | |||
Other medals awarded by the Defence Forces | ||||||
Military Star (Irish : An Réalt Míleata) | 28 Jun 1958–present | Awarded posthumously to those members of the Permanent Defence Forces who are killed or fatally wounded by direct result of hostile action or an act perpetrated by an enemy, opposing armed force, hostile belligerent or other party, involving the use of firepower or other lethal weapon. Qualifying service is outside Ireland on military duty overseas. [12] | ||||
United Nations Peacekeepers Medal (Irish : Bonn Chosantóirí Síochána na Náisiún Aontaithe) | 1989 | Created in 1989. Awarded to those members of the Defence Forces who have served overseas on a United Nation Mission or United Nations Mandated Mission. [12] | ||||
International Operational Service Medal (Irish : Bonn nua Óglaigh na hÉireann um Sheirbhís Oibríochta Idirnáisiúnta) | Oct 2016 | 2014–present | Awarded to members of the Permanent Defence Forces who took part in the response to the West African Ebola virus epidemic and EU humanitarian response to the European migrant crisis (Operation PONTUS). [13] | |||
1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal (Irish : Bonn Comórtha Céad Bliain) | Dec 2016 | 2016 | Awarded to all personnel of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) and Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) who served in 2016 in recognition of the role they played to commemorate 100 years since the 1916 Easter Rising. [14] | |||
Siege of Jadotville Medal (Irish : An Bonn Jadotville) | Dec 2017 | 1961 | Awarded to all personnel of "A" Company with Irish Army ONUC who served at the Siege of Jadotville in recognition of their bravery and courage. [15] |
Notes:
The Irish Army is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland. The Irish Army has an active establishment of 7,520, and a reserve establishment of 3,869. Like other components of the Defence Forces, the Irish Army has struggled to maintain strength and as of April 2023 has only 6,322 active personnel, and 1,382 reserve personnel. The Irish Army is organised into two brigades.
The Defence Forces are the armed forces of Ireland. They encompass the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, and Reserve Defence Forces.
To be mentioned in dispatches describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy is described.
A United Nations Medal is an international decoration awarded by the United Nations (UN) to the various world countries members for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief. The medal is ranked in militaries and police forces as a service medal. The United Nations awarded its first medal during the Korean War (1950–1953). Since 1955, many additional United Nations medals have been created and awarded for participation in various United Nations missions and actions around the world.
The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) are the combined reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces. The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve (FLR) and an active Second Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve is composed of former members of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) and, as of May 2023, had a strength of 276. The Second Line Reserve comprises the Army Reserve (AR) with, as of May 2023, a strength of 1,351 out of an established strength of 3,869, and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR), with a strength of 79 out of an established strength of 200.
The Naval Service Reserve (NSR) is the reserve force of the Irish Naval Service. It is one of two elements of the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) of the Irish Defence Forces, the other element being the Army Reserve (AR). The NSR was established on 1 October 2005 to replace and reorganise the previous naval reserve organisation, An Slua Muirí, which in turn replaced the fore-runner Maritime Inscription founded in 1940 to act as a Port Control authority during The Emergency (WWII). Originally formed at Dublin's Alexandra Basin, its headquarters was in Portobello barracks, now known as Cathal Brugha Barracks.
The Sri Lankan Armed Forces award medals and their associated ribbon bars in recognition of various levels of service, personal accomplishments and commemorative events while a regular- or volunteer serviceperson is a member of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a serviceperson's career.
The Governor-General of Australia publishes the order of wearing of Australian orders, decorations and medals in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards was last published in 2007.
The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or of the other Auxiliary Military Forces throughout the British Empire. At the same time a clasp was instituted for award to holders of the medal upon completion of further periods of six years of efficient service.
The Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women is a support organisation for ex-service personnel of the Irish Defence Services.
The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twenty years of service as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer. The decoration superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration.
The Military Medal For Gallantry (MMG) is a military decoration awarded by the Government of Ireland. It is the highest award of the military awards and decorations of Ireland.
The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a military award recognizing 14 years of exemplary and unblemished service by non-commissioned and other ranks members of the New Zealand Defence Force. Established in 1985, these medals replaced the British Long Service and Good Conduct Medals with specific versions for New Zealand. There are three version of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, one each for the New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The 1916 Medal is a service medal of the Republic of Ireland. Established 24 January 1941, the medal was awarded to those who rendered recognised military service during the week of 23 April 1916 during the Easter Rising.
The International Operational Service Medal is a military decoration awarded by the Government of Ireland to personnel of the Irish Defence Forces who have been deployed on overseas missions by direction of the Government where no other mission medal has been awarded. It was first awarded in October 2016.
The 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal is a military decoration awarded by the Government of Ireland to personnel of the Irish Defence Forces who served in 2016 to honour the legacy of continued service by the military to the state since its foundation and in recognition for the role they played to commemorate 100 years since the 1916 Easter Rising.
The United Nations Peacekeepers Medal is awarded to those members of the Irish Defence Forces or Chaplaincy Service who have served overseas on a United Nation Mission or United Nations Mandated Mission.
Lt. Col. Richard Brennan is a Barrister-at-Law in the Legal Service of the Irish Defence Forces (IDF) and former National Legal Advisor to the IDF during United Nations peacekeeping operations as a United Nations Military Observer. He is a legal scholar on international humanitarian law and the legal basis of peacekeeping missions.
The Service Medal is a military decoration of the Republic of Ireland, it is awarded to members of the permanent Defence Forces for 10 years or more of service.
The Emergency Service Medal is a military decoration of the Republic of Ireland that was awarded to servicemen who served during The Emergency from 1939 to 1946.