By Lar Joye
The Military History Society of Ireland was founded in 1949 with the objective of studying warfare in Ireland and Irish men and women in war (since enlarged to include the general study of military history). Initially its period of study was confined to the pre-twentieth-century period, but this has gradually expanded to take in more modern topics, such as Irish military involvement with the United Nations. In the aftermath of the Emergency (as the 1939–45 period is known in Ireland) and the Second World War, the Society successfully brought together veterans of all Irish military traditions, a pioneering achievement at the time, of which it is deservedly proud. From the outset, much of the organisation was provided by members of the Irish Defence Forces, serving and retired. In addition, as well as academic scholars, its governing council usually includes veterans of the British and American armed forces. Currently the membership, individual and institutional, is c. 600. Since 1963 successive presidents of Ireland have graciously accepted the Society’s invitation to be its patron.
Above: Vernet Horace’s La Bataille de Fontenoy, 11 Mai 1745, showing the Irish Brigade presenting captured British flags to King Louis XV and the Dauphin. The Military History Society of Ireland’s first overseas tour in 1965 was to the site of the battle. (Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris)
The Society’s greatest achievement has been the publication of its biannual illustrated journal, The Irish Sword, which successfully blends scholarship with accessibility; 136 issues have appeared to date, totalling over 13,000 pages, which is by far the greatest volume of information and comment on Irish military history ever published. The journal was closely modelled on the British Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, with articles and sections of notes, queries, book reviews and proceedings. Its founding editor, Prof. G.A. Hayes-McCoy, still the doyen of Irish military historians, was very visually aware, and the journal was handsomely illustrated from the outset. The digitisation of all past issues is currently under active consideration, but it is not envisaged that the printed form of publication will be abandoned.
The Society has offered an annual lecture programme that has delivered over 500 lectures to date. The Society has no premises of its own, but the Defence Forces supply it with office space, and for its lectures it is fortunate to enjoy the up-to-date facilities at Griffith College, Dublin (formerly Griffith Barracks). These lectures can now be seen live via Zoom and on the Society’s Facebook account.
Eight two-day conferences have been run, largely dealing with the Irish Defence Forces and the 1913–23 ‘decade of centenaries’, which takes in the First World War and the Irish Revolution. Twice a year the Society tours military history-related locations in Ireland, such as battle sites, military structures and military museums.
From the start, the Society developed a strong international dimension by taking full account of the many Irish people and units associated with military life abroad. Their experience has been studied on overseas tours to Britain, to many locations in mainland Europe and beyond, including the Crimea and Turkey, and to the United States and South Africa. The first overseas tour, in 1965, was to the site of the Battle of Fontenoy (1745) in Belgium, and the most recent, in 2023, was a tour of the Normandy landings in France (1944). On tours and other occasions, the Society has laid wreaths to fallen Irish soldiers at commemorative memorials. The Society is affiliated to the International Commission of Military History and always sends a speaker to present a paper at the Commission’s conferences.
Further details: http://www.mhsi.ie/.
Lar Joye is Port Heritage Director at Dublin Port and a member of the Military History Society of Ireland.