Irish & National Volunteers, badges postcards,shoulder titles and other collectable material

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Irish Volunteer & Irish National Volunteer Movements

Irish National Volunteers & Irish Volunteers shoulder titles

The Volunteers were formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force by Edward Carson and James Craig the same year. The Ulster Volunteers were founded by (exclusively) Protestant Unionists in the northeast in order to prevent the enactment of the Home Rule Act. It was seen that with armed men in Ulster threatening force to counter Home Rule, a similar force would be prudent to pressure Britain in the other direction. To this end Eoin MacNeill published an article The North Began, arguing for the necessity of such a force. His friend The O'Rahilly encouraged him to follow through with this idea, and on November 11, 1913, at Wynn's Hotel in Dublin, ten prominent nationalists sat down to plan the formation of the Volunteers, among them were Patrick Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, and Sean MacDermott
I Irish Volunteer Officer's Uniform. Comprising tunic with complete buttons, peaked cap with white metal badge, stamped inside, belt, holster and bandolier.
Photograph compliments of the "Ceallach Collection"	I

Modern Irish Volunteer buttons with "P", "T" on back Bellow are some Irish Volunteer buttons of the era






	One of the many examples of the Irish Volunteers Belt buckle


The Irish Volunteers & National Volunteer Movements badges are shown below

Irish Volunteer badge struck in silver	Irish Volunteer enamel tricolour badge


1916 Reversible Button Hole Badge depicting an Irish Citizen Army volunteer outside the GPO (Dublin) In Gaelic lettering on the face it states "eireocaimid aris" (we will rise again) along with 1916. On the rear the buttonhole has 1916 filled in enamel.


Waterford Regiment of the Irish Volunteers Cap Badge	Dublin Regiment of the National Volunteers Cap Badge
	The Irish National Volunteers Button hole Badge
	National Volunteers Badge


star shaped badge possibly of the era(More Details Required)


Button hole badge of the Irish Volunteers made of brass with dark green enamel inlay. This example of the badge had a pin added later , the photograph of the back is how it should look.

Óglaigh na h-Eireann Cap Badge

The Defence Forces cap badge (1924) is based on the badge of the Irish Volunteers that was designed by Professor Eoin McNeill. It was adopted by the volunteers as the official badge in 1914. The "FF" in its centre signifies "Fianna" the third centaury ancient military organisation and " Fáil" meaning destiny..
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1923 Gold Plated Command Staff Officers example with blue enamel inlay	1923 Gold Plated GHQ Staff Officers example with red enamel inlay


Above is a brass & silver example of the Dublin Brigade Cap Badge

Irish Volunteer Recruiting Poster	First meeting of the Irish Volunteers in the Rotunda Hospital November 25th 1913

	Irish Volunteers Membership Card

	Irish Volunteer Mobilisation Order

National Volunteers
The outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 provoked a serious split in the organization. Redmond, in the interest of the Home Rule Act 1914 now on the statute books, encouraged the Volunteers to support Britain's War commitment under the Triple Entente and join the proposed Irish Brigade of the new British Army divisions, an action vigorously opposed by the founding members. The majority however supported the War effort and the call to restore freedom to "small countries" in Europe and left to form the National Volunteers and fight in Irish regiments side by side with their volunteer counterparts from the northeast. Unlike them however, they were not allowed their own officers and were commanded by Englishmen

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Irish Volunteer Officer's Uniform.

National Volunteers