Royal Irish Army

The Irish Army was the standing army of the Kingdom of Ireland which existed between 1542 and 1801. It was amalgamated into the British Army following the Act of Union, although some roles continued to exist separately. It is sometimes referred to as the Royal Irish Army to distinguish it from other forces active in Ireland.

The origins of the Irish Army were in the traditional royal garrisons of the old Lordship of Ireland. Numbers were low during peacetime, and during the sixteenth century the force would be supplemented by assembling militia in The Pale and the raising of troops by loyal Gaelic chieftains during emergencies. It was financed by votes in the Irish Parliament, although this was sometimes supplemented by subsidies sent over from London. The principal task of the Army was to defend Ireland from internal disorder and invasion by foreign powers.

The Irish security situation had come under strain during the rebellion of Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare in the 1530s. The Fitzgerald family had traditionally been the leading Anglo-Irish lords in the country, serving as Lord Lieutenants. Their rebellion exposed the weakness of Henry VIII's forces in the Lordship of Ireland, with the rebels securing large gains and launching a Siege of Dublin.

In 1542 the Kingdom of Ireland was formally established and Henry VIII declared King. It accompanied a major policy to bring the whole island under control of Dublin, partly through the surrender and regrant offers to major Gaelic leaders. It was intended that traditional Gaelic feuds and succession disputes would be replaced by a more peaceful system of law.

Nicholas Bagenal was appointed Marshal of Ireland with command over the Army, a title he passed to his son Henry Bagenal. Actual command over the forces in charge of suppression the Desmond Rebellion in Munster in the 1580s was given to the Earl of Ormond. Ormond was a prominent Irish leader with good connections at the court of Elizabeth I.

...
Wikipedia