Faugh A Ballagh

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Regimental colours of the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment in St. Macartin's Cathedral carrying the motto Faugh a ballagh Enniskillen Cathedral of St. Macartin Regimental Colours Royal Irish Regiment IV Faugh A Ballagh 2012 09 17.jpg
Regimental colours of the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment in St. Macartin's Cathedral carrying the motto Faugh a ballagh

Faugh a ballagh ( /ˌfɔːxəˈbæləx/ FAWKH ə BAL-əkh; also written Faugh an beallach) is a battle cry of Irish origin, meaning "clear the way". The spelling is an 18th-century anglicization of the Irish language phrase Fág an bealach [ˈfˠaːɡəˈbʲalˠəx] , also written Fág a' bealach. Its first recorded use as a regimental motto was by the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot (who later became the Royal Irish Fusiliers) in 1798. It remains the motto of the Royal Irish Regiment today. [1] [2]

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It was adopted from the words of Sergeant Patrick Masterson at the Battle of Barrosa as he tore into the French ranks to capture the first French Imperial Eagle to be taken in the Peninsular War.[ citation needed ]

It was popularized outside Ireland during the American Civil War by the Army of the Potomac's Irish Brigade – composed of the 69th New York Volunteer Infantry (NYVI) or "Fighting 69th", the 63rd & 88th NYVI, and later the 116th Pennsylvania and 28th Massachusetts Infantry regiments. A variant transliteration of the motto, Faj an bealac! was inscribed on the regimental colors of the (Federal) 7th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, the "Irish Seventh", which fought in the Civil War's Western Theater as part of Grant and Sherman's Army of the Tennessee.

The motto was also adopted by the 55th Battalion of the Australian 5th Division during the First World War.

Since then it has appeared rather infrequently in spoken language but has enjoyed some popularity in print, appearing on mugs, T-shirts, etc.

Historian and musician Derek Warfield released a book and companion CD, which he entitled "Clear the Way", dealing with the history of the 69th Regiment.

Australian poet Banjo Paterson uses it in the poem Father Riley's Horse, claiming that the name "is French for 'Clear the course'". This is part of a running gag on language in the poem; elsewhere it claims that another Irish word, banshee, is "Spanish for an elf".

The phrase is referenced in the Dropkick Murphys' "The Legend of Finn MacCumhail" and "Heroes From Our Past"

The Irish language form of the phrase Fág an bealach was used as the title of a recent two-part documentary series on the Irish Brigade in the American Civil War broadcast on the Irish language television channel TG4. [3]

The phrase is used in Irish Road Bowling to clear the road before a shot.

Members of Donore Harriers contest annually for the Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup which was presented by the 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1907. This is a perpetual trophy for the men's club cross-country championship over 6 miles.

Dublin Rugby Club Suttonians RFC adopted the phrase as its motto.

The phrase is used by Irish WWE wrestler Sheamus.

The British Columbia Regiment uses this phrase as their regimental motto.

During the American Civil War in Company I, 8th Alabama Infantry Regiment,"The Emerald Guards". 104 out of the 109 men of the regiment were Irish born. The men wore dark green uniforms; their banner was a Confederate First National flag on one side with a full-length figure of George Washington in the center. The reverse was green, with a harp, shamrocks, and the slogans "Erin-go bragh" (Ireland forever) and "Faugh- a ballagh"- Clear the way.

There is Faugh a Ballagh Road in the Bendigo, Victoria, Australia suburb of Spring Gully.

See also

Related Research Articles

The Irish Brigade was an infantry brigade, consisting predominantly of Irish Americans, who served in the Union Army in the American Civil War. The designation of the first regiment in the brigade, the 69th New York Infantry, or the "Fighting 69th," continued in later wars. The Irish Brigade was known in part for its famous war cry, the "Faugh a Ballaugh" which is an anglicization of the Irish phrase, fág an bealach, meaning "clear the way" and used in various Irish-majority military units founded due to the Irish diaspora. According to Fox's Regimental Losses, of all Union army brigades, only the 1st Vermont Brigade and Iron Brigade suffered more combat dead than the Irish Brigade during America's Civil War.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Grenadier Guards</span> Military unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voltigeurs de Québec</span> Military unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers</span> Military unit

The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment of Foot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">69th Infantry Regiment (New York)</span> Union Army unit in the American Civil War

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">28th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 28th Massachusetts Infantry regiment was the second primarily Irish American volunteer infantry regiment recruited in Massachusetts for service in the American Civil War. The regiment's motto was Faugh a Ballagh

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Irish Fusiliers</span> Former regiment of the British Army

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killaloe March</span>

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The 7th Missouri Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the "Irish Seventh", was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In 1864 a battalion of veteran volunteers of the "Irish Seventh was consolidated with a sister Irish regiment, the 30th Missouri Volunteer Infantry and operated as a "demi-brigade" known popularly as the "Missouri Irish Brigade"

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