List of Irish Victoria Cross recipients

thumb|140px|right|Army recruiting poster, 1915, featuring [[Michael O'Leary (VC)|Michael O'Leary]]

List of Irish Victoria Cross recipients lists all recipients of the Victoria Cross (post-nominal letters "VC") born on the island of Ireland, together with the date and place of their VC action. The Victoria Cross is the highest war honour of the British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations. The whole island of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom until 1922 when it was partitioned into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. On 18 April 1949, the Dominion of Ireland became the Republic of Ireland and left the Commonwealth as a result of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 coming into effect. Despite this, citizens of the Republic of Ireland still enlist in the British Army and thus are eligible for the Victoria Cross and other British honours.

Background

Established in 1856, the Victoria Cross has been awarded to service personnel for extraordinary valour and devotion to duty while facing a hostile force. Between 1858 and 1881 the Victoria Cross could also be awarded for actions taken "under circumstances of extreme danger" not in the face of the enemy. Six people (four Irish, one English and one Canadian) were awarded Victoria Crosses under this clause (one in 1866 during the Fenian raids, five for a single incident in 1867 during the Andaman Islands Expedition), until it was amended in 1881 to only allow acts "in the presence of the enemy". It was awarded to members of the British Armed Forces which included Irish service personnel until 1922. It is currently available to personnel of any rank in any service, and to allies serving under or with British Forces. It is the highest honour in the Commonwealth honours system, placed before all other orders, decorations and medals.

Both Catholic and Protestant officers and servicemen born in Ireland served alongside each other in the British Military. During the previous two centuries they had a common military background, and irrespective of class or creed many were decorated with the British highest award for valour. 30 Irish VCs were awarded in the Crimean War, 59 Irish VCs in the Indian Mutiny, 46 Irish VCs in numerous other British Empire campaigns between 1857 and 1914, 37 Irish VCs in World War I, and eight Irish VCs in World War II.

Recipients

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Name!!Date of action!!Conflict!!Unit!!Place of action!!class="unsortable"|Notes

|||align="center"|1879||Second Afghan War||British Indian Army||Killa Kazi, Afghanistan||

|||align="center"|1919||Baltic Campaign 1918||HM Coastal Motor Boat 4||Kronstadt, Russia||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||09090th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0022nd Queen's Dragoon Guards||Sandila, India||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1901*||Second Boer War||Royal Irish Regiment||Monument Hill, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1867||Andaman Islands Expedition||02424th Regiment of Foot||Little Andaman, India||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||02323rd Regiment of Foot||Alma, Crimea||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1916*||First World War||Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers||Thiepval, France||

|||align="center"|1879||Anglo-Zulu War||0099th Queen's Royal Lancers ||Ulundi, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1868||Abyssinian Expedition||03333rd Regiment of Foot||Magdala, Abyssinia||

|||align="center"|1916||First World War||||Jutland, Denmark||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||08484th Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||Scots Guards||Cambrin, France||

|Joseph Bradshaw||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||Rifle Brigade||Woronzoff Road, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||09090th Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1900||Second Boer War||01414th King's Hussars||Geluk, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0011st European Bengal Fusiliers||Narnaul, India||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|2006*||War in Afghanistan||001Parachute Regiment||Sangin, Afghanistan||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||||Sea of Azov, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1860||Second Opium War||06767th Regiment of Foot||Taku Forts, China||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||08686th Regiment||Jhansi, India||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||06868th Regiment of Foot||Inkerman, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1898||Mahdist War||02121st Lancers||Omdurman, Sudan||

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||0022nd York and Lancaster Regiment||La Brique, France||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||Royal Artillery||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||01313th Regiment of Foot||Azumgurh, India||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1916*||First World War||Royal Irish Fusiliers||Hamel, France||

|||align="center"|1902||Somaliland Campaign||King's African Rifles||Erego, Somaliland||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||03434th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1879*||Anglo-Zulu War||02424th Regiment of Foot||Isandhlwana South Africa||

|||align="center"|1917||First World War||Cheshire Regiment||Ypres, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||0033rd Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||04949th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||Royal Munster Fusiliers||Gallipoli, Turkey||

|||align="center"|1897||Siege of Malakand||02222nd Punjab Infantry||Malakand, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Gordon Highlanders||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1879||Second Afghan War||Bombay Staff Corps||Kam Dakka, Afghanistan||

|||align="center"|1901||Second Boer War||Imperial Light Horse||Tygerkloof Spruit, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1918||First World War||New Zealand Expeditionary Force||Crèvecœur, France||

|||align="center"|1889||Karenni Expedition||Bombay Medical Service||Lwekaw, Burma||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1917*||First World War||Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment||Bois-en-Hache, France||

|||align="center"|1881||First Boer War||Nourse's Horse (Transvaal)||Elandsfontein, South Africa||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1914*||First World War||Royal Fusiliers||Mons, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||01010th Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bengal Horse Artillery||Bulandshahr, India||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1918*||First World War||Royal Ulster Rifles||Groagie, France||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||06060th Rifles||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0099th Queen's Royal Lancers||Bulandshahr, India||

|||align="center"|1881||First Boer War||0011st King's Dragoon Guards||Laing's Nek, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||03232nd Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1918||First World War||Royal Munster Fusiliers||Reincourt, France||

|||align="center"|1917||First World War||Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers||Kereina Peak, Palestine||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||102102nd Madras Fusiliers||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||09393rd Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||05353rd Regiment of Foot||Chota Behar, India||

|||align="center"|1916||First World War||Middlesex Regiment||Thiepval, France||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1917*||First World War||Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers||La Vacquerie, France||

|||align="center"|1901||Second Boer War||The Scottish Horse||Vlakfontein, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1940||Second World War||East Lancashire Regiment||Dunkirk, France||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1942*||Second World War||825825 Naval Air Squadron||Straits of Dover||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||01818th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||01717th Lancers||Balaklava, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1940||Second World War||||Atlantic Ocean||

|||align="center"|1899||Second Boer War||Royal Fusiliers||Mafeking, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bengal Horse Artillery||Bulandshahr, India||

|||align="center"|1860||Second Opium War||06767th Regiment of Foot||Taku Forts, China||

|||align="center"|1879||Basuto War||09494th Regiment of Foot||Sekukuni's Town, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||06464th Regiment of Foot||Cawnpore, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bengal Veteran Establishment||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1879||Anglo-Zulu War||Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)||Zlobane Mountain, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||05757th Regiment of Foot||Sebastopol, Crimea||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1940*||Second World War||No. 12 Squadron RAF||Albert Canal, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||06060th Rifles||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Loodiana Regiment||Benares, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||03232nd Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||5th Bengal European Light Cavalry||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||1st Bengal European Light Cavalry||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1903||Somaliland Campaign||Rifle Brigade||Daratoleh, Somaliland||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||0044th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||09090th Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||09393rd Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||07575th Regiment of Foot||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1867||Andaman Islands Expedition||02424th Regiment of Foot||Little Andaman, India||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||Lancashire Fusiliers||Gallipoli, Turkey||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||53rd Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1914||First World War||Gordon Highlanders||Ypres, Belgium||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1920*||Waziristan Campaign||03939th Garhwal Rifles||Kot Kai, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||08484th Regiment of Foot||Oonao, India||

|||align="center"|1860||Second Opium War||06767th Regiment of Foot||Taku Forts, China||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bengal Artillery||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||03232nd Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1879||Second Afghan War||Royal Engineers||Maidanah, Afghanistan||

|||align="center"|1879||Anglo-Zulu War||01313th Regiment of Foot||Inhlobana, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||Royal Engineers||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1893||Kachin Expedition||Army Medical ServicesArmy Medical Service||Fort Sima, Burma||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||No. 271 Squadron RAF||Battle of Arnhem, Netherlands||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||||Åland, Finland||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1861||First Taranaki War||04040th Regiment of Foot ||New Zealand||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||01919th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||07272nd Bengal Native Infantry||Calpee, India||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||04141st Regiment||Little Inkerman, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1945||Second World War||||Johore Straits, Singapore||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1868||Abyssinian Expedition||03333rd Regiment of Foot||Magdala, Abyssinia||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1857*||Indian Rebellion of 1857||102102nd Madras Fusiliers ||Mungulwar, India||

|||align="center"|1864||New Zealand Wars||Royal Artillery||Tauranga, New Zealand||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1918*||First World War||No. 74 Squadron RAF||Western Front||

|||align="center"|1900||Second Boer War||Devonshire Regiment||Ladysmith, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||0033rd Regiment of Foot|||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||05757th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1916*||First World War||Royal Ulster Rifles||Thiepval Wood, France||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||101101st Regiment of Foot||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0055th Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||09595th Regiment of Foot||Rowa, India||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||04444th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1918||First World War||Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment||Ledeghem, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1857||Anglo-Persian War||0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry||Khushab, Persia||

|||align="center"|1877||Cape Frontier Wars||08888th Regiment||Komgha, South Africa||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1915*||First World War||Royal Irish Fusiliers||Messines, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1917||First World War||Irish Guards||Broembeek, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||09090th Regiment of Foot||Redan, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1880||Second Afghan War||Royal Horse Artillery||Maiwand, Afghanistan||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||01717th Lancers||Azumgurh, India||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1867||Andaman Islands Expedition||02424th Regiment of Foot||Little Andaman, India||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1866||Fenian raids on Canada||Rifle Brigade||Danville, Quebec, Canada||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||Irish Guards||Cuinchy, France||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bengal Artillery||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1916||First World War||0011st Division (Australia)||Pozières, France||

|||align="center"|1917||First World War||0077th Battalion, CEF||Hill 70, France||

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers||Gallipoli, Turkey||

|||align="center"|1879||Anglo-Zulu War||Frontier Light Horse||Ulundi, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||04949th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||07777th Regiment of Foot||Alma, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||08686th Regiment of Foot||Jhansi, India||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0022nd Punjab Cavalry||Agra, India||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||0011st Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0099th Queen's Royal Lancers||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1916||First World War||Royal Ulster Rifles||Hamel, France||

|||align="center"|1899||Second Boer War||Royal Field Artillery||Colenso, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1879||Anglo-Zulu War||Army Medical ServiceArmy Medical Service||Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa||

|||align="center"|1859||Indian Rebellion of 1857||03434th Regiment of Foot||Kewane Trans-Gogra, India||

|||align="center"|1879||Naga Hills Expedition||Bengal Staff Corps||Konoma, India||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1899*||Second Boer War||King's Royal Rifle Corps||Colenso, South Africa||

|||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1917*||First World War||Queen's Royal Regiment||Zonnebeke, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bengal Army||Kuthirga, India||

|||align="center"|1860||Second Opium War||04444th Regiment of Foot||Taku Forts, China||

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||East Surrey Regiment||Hill 60, Belgium||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||102102nd Madras Fusiliers||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1863||New Zealand Wars||06565th Regiment of Foot||Cameron Town, New Zealand||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||101101st Regiment of Foot||Delhi, India||

|||align="center"|1900||Second Boer War||Manchester Regiment||Natal, South Africa||align="center"|

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||08484th Regiment of Foot||Lucknow, India||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Royal Engineers||Jhansi, India||

|||align="center"|1864||New Zealand Wars||04343rd Regiment of Foot||Tauranga, New Zealand||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||01717th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1915||First World War||Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers||Gallipoli, Turkey||

|||align="center"|1863||New Zealand Wars||05757th Regiment of Foot||Poutoko, New Zealand||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||Naval Brigade||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1863||New Zealand Wars||Royal Artillery||Rangiriri, New Zealand||

|||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0022nd Bengal Native Infantry||Indore, India||

|||align="center"|1854||Crimean War||03030th Regiment of Foot||Inkerman, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||0088th King's Royal Irish Hussars||Gwalior, India||

|||align="center"|1879||Second Afghan War||09292nd Regiment of Foot||Charasiah, Afghanistan||

|||align="center"|1855||Crimean War||07777th Regiment of Foot||Sevastopol, Crimea||

|||align="center"|1901||Second Boer War||Cape Police||Ruiterskraal, South Africa||

References

Bibliography

;Archives

Victoria Cross Registers online index to Victoria Cross awards at the National Archives site
The original VC warrant and comments on some amendments to 1898.
Victoria Cross Research page
Search UK National Inventory of War Memorial for memorials in the UK commemorating VC winners Select 'War' type of 'VC or GC Winners'

Background

Recipients

See also

References

Bibliography