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Irish Defence Forces rank insignia

Rank insignia in the Irish Defence Forces are an indication of the wearer's military rank, and worn by officers and enlisted members of Ireland's Defence Forces as an element of their uniform, typically on a single chest tab or as a shoulder board.[1]

Irish Army

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Officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Combat[2]
 Irish Army[3][1]
Lieutenant-general Major-general Brigadier-general Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Captain Lieutenant Second-Lieutenant
Lefteanant-ghinearál Maor-ghinearál Briogáidire-ghinearál Cornal Lefteanant-chornal Ceannfort Captaen Lefteanant Dara-lefteanant
Abbreviation Lt Gen Maj Gen Brig Gen Col Lt Col Comdt Capt Lt 2nd Lt
Other ranks
Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
Combat[4] No insignia
 Irish Army[3][1]
 No insignia
Sergeant major Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant Company sergeant Company quartermaster sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private, 3 star Private, 2 star Recruit
Maor-Sáirsint Cathláin/Reisimint[a] Ceathrúsháirsint Cathláin/Reisimint[a] Sáirsint Complachta[b] Ceathrúsháirsint Complachta[b] Sáirsint Ceannaire Saighdiúr Singil, 3 Réalta Saighdiúr Singil, 2 Réalta Earcach
Abbreviation BSM/RSM BQMS/RQMS CS/BS/SS CQ/BQ/SQ Sgt Cpl Pte/Gnr/Tpr 3* Pte 2* Rec

Historic ranks

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Commissioned officer ranks

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The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
1922[5]
General Major-general Commandant general
(GHQ) 		Commandant general
(DIV) 		Colonel commandant Brigadier Commandant Lieutenant commandant Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant
1923[6]
General Lieutenant-general Major-general Colonel Commandant Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant
1924–1942[6][7]
General Lieutenant-general Major-general Colonel Major Commandant Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
1942–1944[8]
Lieutenant-general Major-general Colonel Major Commandant Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
1944–1971[9]
Lieutenant-general Major-general Colonel Major Commandant Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant

Other ranks

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The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
1922[5] No insignia
Sergeant-Major Sergeant Corporal Volunteer
1923[6] No insignia
Sergeant Corporal Private
1924–1949[6][10] No insignia
Sergeant-major Battalion quartermaster sergeant Company sergeant Company quartermaster sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private
1949–1963[11][12]
Abbreviation BSM/RSM BQMS/RQMS BS/CS/SS BQ/CQ/SQ Sgt Cpl, 2 Star Cpl, 1 Star Pte, 3 Star Pte, 2 Star Pte, 1 Star
1963[12] No insignia
Abbreviation BSM/RSM BQMS/RQMS BS/CS/SS BQ/CQ/SQ Sgt Cpl, 2 Star Cpl, 1 Star Pte, 3 Star Pte, 2 Star Pte

Irish Air Corps

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Irish Air Corps rank insignia are an indication of the wearer's military rank, and worn by officers and enlisted members of the Irish Air Corps as an element of their uniform.[13]

Officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Irish Air Corps[14]
Lieutenant-general Major-general Brigadier-general Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Captain Lieutenant Second-lieutenant
Lefteanant-ghinearál Maor-ghinearál Briogáidire-ghinearál Cornal Lefteanant-chornal Ceannfort Captaen Lefteanant Dara-lefteanant
Abbreviation Lt Gen Maj Gen Brig Gen Col Lt Col Comdt Capt Lt 2nd Lt
Other ranks
Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
 Irish Air Corps[14]
 No insignia
Regimental sergeant major
Maor-sáirsint reisiminte 		Regimental quartermaster sergeant
Ceathrúsháirsint reisiminte 		Flight sergeant
Sáirsint eitleoige 		Flight quartermaster sergeant
Ceathrúsháirsint eitleoige 		Sergeant
Sáirsint 		Corporal
Ceannaire 		Airman 3 star
Eitleoir, 3 réalta 		Airman 2 Star
Eitleoir, 2 réalta 		Apprentice
Printíseach 		Recruit
Earcach
Abbreviation RSM RQMS FS FQMS Sgt Cpl Amn 3* Amn 2* App Rec/G1

Irish Naval Service

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Officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Irish Naval Service[15]
Vice admiral
Leas-Aimiréal 		Rear admiral
Seach-Aimiréal 		Commodore
Ceannasóir 		Captain
Captaen 		Commander
Ceannasaí 		Lieutenant commander
Lefteanant-Cheannasaí 		Lieutenant
Lefteanant 		Sub-lieutenant
Fo-Lefteanant 		Ensign
Meirgire
Enlisted
Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
 Irish Naval Service[15]
 No insignia
Warrant officer
Oifigeach barántais 		Senior chief petty officer
Ard-mhion-oifigeach sinsearach 		Chief petty officer
Ard-mhion-oifigeach 		Senior petty officer
Mion-oifigeach sinsearach 		Petty officer
Mion-oifigeach 		Leading seaman
Mairnéalach ceannais 		Able seaman
Mairnéalach inniúil 		Ordinary seaman
Mairnéalach 		Seaman recruit
Earcach
  • Warrant officer variants
  • Executive
    Executive
  • Administrative
    Administrative
  • Engineering
    Engineering
  • Communications
    Communications

Historic ranks

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Commissioned ranks
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
1939[16]
Commodore
Ceannasóir 		Captain
Captaen 		Commander
Ceannasaí 		Lieutenant commander
Lefteanant-Cheannasaí 		Lieutenant
Lefteanant 		Sub-lieutenant
Fo-Lefteanant 		Ensign
Meirgire
Other ranks
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
1939[16]
Warrant officer
Oifigeach barántais 		Chief petty officer
Ard-mhion-oifigeach 		Petty officer
Mion-oifigeach 		Leading seaman
Mairnéalach ceannais 		Ordinary seaman
Mairnéalach
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Prior to 2002 ranks for NCOs in the Naval Reserve were in blue instead of gold.[1]

Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
Ireland Irish Naval
Service Reserve
(Pre-2002)
 No insignia
Senior chief petty officer
Ard-mhion-oifigeach sinsearach 		Chief petty officer
Ard-mhion-oifigeach 		Senior petty officer
Mion-oifigeach sinsearach 		Petty officer
Mion-oifigeach 		Leading seaman
Mairnéalach ceannais 		Able seaman
Mairnéalach inniúil 		Ordinary seaman
Mairnéalach 		Seaman recruit
Earcach

Student officers

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Rank group Student officer
 Irish Army[3][2]
Senior officer cadet
Dalta oifigeach sinsearch 		Junior officer cadet
Dalta oifigeach sóisearach
Sr Cdt Jr Cdt
 Irish Air Corps[14]
Officer cadet
Dalta oifigeach
O-Cdt
 Irish Naval Service[15]
Officer cadet
Dalta Oifigeach

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Battalion (Cathlán), Regiment (Reisimint)
  2. ^ a b Battery (Ceallraí) in the Artillery. Squadron (Scuadrún) in the Cavalry.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Irish Military Insignia". irishmilitaryinsignia.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007.
  2. ^ a b Perkins 2007, Rank Markings (Slider) - Officers.
  3. ^ a b c "Army Rank Markings". military.ie. Defence Forces (Ireland). Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  4. ^ Perkins 2007, Rank Markings (Slider) - Enlisted Personnel.
  5. ^ a b MacCarron 2004, p. 5.
  6. ^ a b c d MacCarron 2004, p. 8.
  7. ^ Perkins 2007, Rank Markings - Officers, 1924 to 1942.
  8. ^ Perkins 2007, Rank Markings - Officers, 1942 to 1944.
  9. ^ Perkins 2007, Rank Markings - Officers, 1944 to 1971.
  10. ^ Perkins 2007, Rank Markings - Enlisted Personnel, 1924.
  11. ^ Perkins 2007, Rank Markings - Enlisted Personnel, 1949.
  12. ^ a b Perkins 2007, Rank Markings - Enlisted Personnel, Miscellaneous.
  13. ^ "Air Corps rank markings". irishmilitaryinsignia.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017.
  14. ^ a b c "Air Corps Rank Markings". military.ie. Defence Forces (Ireland). Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  15. ^ a b c "Naval Service Rank Markings". military.ie. Defence Forces (Ireland). Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  16. ^ a b MacCarron 2004, p. 19.

Bibliography

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  • Perkins, James G. (29 September 2007). "Insignia Collection". Irish Military Insignia. Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  • MacCarron, Donal (2004). The Irish Defence Forces since 1922. Men-at-Arms. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781841767420.
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