SOLDIER'S DIARY:Wicklowman LIEUT PADDY BURYis serving with the British army in Afghanistan. In the first of an occasional diary from the front, he explains what attracted him.
WHY DOES an Irishman serve as an officer in the British army? It's a question I am asked almost every time I return to Ireland, sometimes with varying degrees of accusation or incredulity. Certainly, there are subtle contradictions in serving the queen as an Irishman, but even the fact that I can admit I serve in the British army is a testament to how much attitudes in Ireland have changed in the last five years.
In my limited experience of both soldiers and officers, it comes down to a calling. In today's society, with its decline of male identity, the warrior tradition embodied by the infantry is a huge attraction for young men, whether from Ireland or not.
Irishmen that I serve with have joined for a sense of self-worth, challenge, adventure, travel and above all, camaraderie. Drawn from all parts of the island of Ireland and from all backgrounds and religions, they have taken the considerable step of enlisting in, what is often for them, a foreign army. This is to fulfil an inherent desire often repeated in the history of Irish military service. The warrior ethos that underpins service in the infantry is inherent in many men and is reflected in the general interest and questions posed by young and old men when I return to Ireland.
The British army's imperial experience of incorporating all creeds and denominations to defend the realm has given it a great understanding of diversity and a cheery acceptance of others. I have never faced any anti-Irish hostility, and I would suggest my soldiers haven't either.
Sandhurst, the home of the British officer corps, is a model of diversity and equality, and throughout the training of both officers and soldiers careful attention is paid to ethnicity.
In the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, there is always room for gentle ribbing between Northern and Southern Irishmen, in much the same way as Cork people rib Dubliners and vice versa, but this is part of the unique character of our pan-Irish battalion. In attracting those of the warrior creed, all else is voluntarily subordinated to the ideal of soldering. It is a real example to all Irish people of what can be achieved when we work together towards a common goal.
Those of us from the Republic who serve in the British army have diverse backgrounds and have taken different paths to get here.
Fellow officers from Kildare, Mayo and Dublin are drawn from across the spectrum of society, from old Anglo-Irish families to the urban middle classes.
Soldiers from Cork, Dublin, Meath, Laois, Kildare, Wicklow, Kerry, Donegal, and Cavan are also representative of all parts of Irish society, and have often taken long and winding roads on their way to enlistment.
Many have served in the Irish Defence Forces. These soldiers therefore often have a wealth of experience, maturity and, in many respects, a resilience to hardship that has typified Irish soldiers on the battlefield in the past. Added to this is a gregarious sense of humour and a litany of anecdotes that provide morale for us all when times are tough. They are truly unique, an admired band wherever they serve with the shamrock on their shoulder.
Yes, sometimes I wonder how the hell did I end up here. And yes, I would love to serve my own country at some stage. But on my first inspection of the soldiers' rooms as a new officer, I was struck by something that defined both my battalion in particular and being an Irish soldier in the British army in general. In a shared room, at one end of a bed, hanging from the ceiling was a large Union Jack. Exactly opposite it, not three feet from the Union Jack, hung the Tricolour. Contradictory, yes. But I knew I was in the right place.
Lieut Bury is on duty in Helmand province