Find your ancestors in Ireland Military Records

This collection comprises 8 different Irish military publications including memorial inscriptions, army lists, and popular novels. You may discover your ancestor among the names listed or learn more about life in the army.

Each record is displayed as a PDF (Portable document format). The detail found in each record will vary depending on the publication and the subject. Below is a list of all the titles available and what you may find in each.

• Dublin, Grangegorman military cemetery memorial inscriptions

In Dublin, the Grangegorman military cemetery first opened in 1876 for British personnel and their immediate family. This publication holds lists of memorial inscriptions found in the military cemetery. Each inscription may include name, rank, regiment, death date, age at the time of death, and who erected the memorial. The names are organised by the sections of the cemetery. A map of the cemetery is provided. You will find inscriptions from the First and Second World Wars.

• History of the Irish brigades in the service of France, 1869

Cornelius O’Callaghan tells the history of the Irish serving in France from the time of James II until the French Revolution.

• Irish Army Lists 1661-1685

These Irish Army lists were first published in 1907 and edited by Charles Dalton. The names were compiled from the calendars and reports of the Marquis of Ormond, Irish state papers, King’s letters, and entry books. An index of officers’ names is provided. Each officer’s entry consist of name, rank, titles, names of other notable family members, and a brief description of the officer’s military career. A full list of the contents can be found on image number 7.

• Louth Rifles 1854-1876 & 1877-1908

There are three publications related to the Louth Rifles in the nineteenth century. Irish soldiers made up a large percentage of the British Army. Between 1830 and 1840, about 40 percent of the British Army was Irish. The Louth Rifles were first formed in 1854. The publications provide a history of the regiment as well as lists of officers. The individual entries for officers can be lengthy and comprise a birthdate, birth place, death date, burial place, names of parents, description of career, and various appointments.

• Memorial inscriptions of military personnel and their families

The memorial inscriptions were compiled from the Curragh military cemetery, Kildare; The Royal Hibernian Military School cemetery, Dublin; and the Arbour Hill military cemetery, Dublin. Curragh first opened in 1868 as a burial place for military personnel and their relatives. The last military burial took place in 1921. The burial grounds of the Royal Hibernian Military School can be found at the Church of Ireland chapel in Phoenix Park. There are about 180 gravestones. The last cemetery featured in this title is Arbour Hill. It is located behind Collins Barracks. The cemetery is most well known for being the final resting place for 14 of the leaders from the Easter Rising. The memorial inscriptions record the person’s service number, rank, regiment, death date, and age at death, as well as the inscription on the gravestone.

• The military novels of Charles Lever, two volumes, 1891

Lever’s novels were first published as two volumes. Both volumes can be found here. The novels follow the story of the fictitious Charles O’Malley and his career in the military. They offer insight into life as a soldier and provide vivid descriptions of battle scenes. In the 1890s, the books were avidly read, and among its many fans was the Duke of Wellington.