An Irish Indian is either an Indian-born person who is fully or partially of Irish descent, or an Irish-born person who is fully or partially of Indian descent. As per article 366(2) of the Indian Constitution, an Irish Indian can be categorized as an Anglo-Indian.[citation needed]
Irish people were known to have traveled to India from at least the days of the East India Company.[citation needed] While most of the early Irish came as traders, some also came as soldiers. Prominent among them were the generals Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington who later became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his brother, Lord Charles Wellesley, both of whom were from the Protestant Anglo-Irish landowning class. During the 19th century, a number of missionaries and educationists were involved in setting-up educational, healthcare and other institutions in India.[1] Later in the 19th century, a number of philosophers and Catholic Irish nationalists travelled to India, including the theosophist Annie Besant. It is widely believed that there existed a secret alliance between the Irish and Indian independence movements. Some Indian intellectuals like Jawaharlal Nehru and V. V. Giri were likely inspired by Irish nationalists when they studied in the United Kingdom. The city of Calcutta, India is credited with making the first larger donations in 1846 during great Irish famine, summing up to around £14,000. Indian Immigrants who have emigrated to Ireland in the recent years might have had their children born and raised here.
Several Irish regiments served in India during the British Raj. Here are some of the notable ones:
Connaught Rangers: This regiment was one of the most well-known Irish regiments that served in India. They were involved in significant events, including the mutiny in Jalandhar in 1920, where members of the 1st Battalion Connaught Rangers protested against British rule in Ireland 1,2
Royal Irish Fusiliers: This regiment also had a presence in India and was involved in various military actions. Some members of the Connaught Rangers were temporarily seconded to the Royal Irish Fusiliers during the Easter Rising in 1916 3,4
Royal Dublin Fusiliers: Similar to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers also had Irish soldiers who were involved in various activities in India, including the defense against the Easter Rising 4
88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers): This regiment was raised in Connaught and served in various capacities, including in India. It was amalgamated with the 94th Regiment of Foot to form the Connaught Rangers in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms 5
4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards: This regiment was one of the main Irish regiments involved in the Napoleonic Wars and had a presence in India 3
18th Royal Hussars: Another regiment involved in the Napoleonic Wars with a presence in India 3
27th Regiment of Foot: This regiment was also involved in the Napoleonic Wars and had a presence in India 3
87th Regiment of Foot: This regiment was involved in the Napoleonic Wars and had a presence in India 3
These regiments played crucial roles in the British Indian Army, participating in various military actions and contributing to the administration and defense of British India.
One of the cultural activities that Indians of Irish descent (who are aware of their Irish ancestry) participate in is Saint Patrick's Day.[citation needed]
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