The 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles And Famous Irish Regiments
The Legend of the ' Garryowen '
The Origins of Garryowen are unclear, but it emerged in the late 18th Century, when it was a drinking song of rich young roisters in Limerick, Ireland. It obtained immediate popularity in the British Army through the 5th
( Royal Irish ) Lancers, who were garrisoned in Limerick and was played throughout the Napoleonic War, becoming the Regimental March of the 18th Foot ( The Royal Irish Regiment ).
A very clear reference to the tune appears in ' The Life of the Duke of Wellington ' by Jocquim Hayward Stocqueler, published in 1853. He describes the defence of the town of Tarifa in late December 1811, during the Peninsular War. General H. Gough, later Field Marshall Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, commanding officer of the 87th Regiment ( at that time known as the Royal Irish Fusiliers ) after repulsing an attack by French Grenadiers " was not, however merely satisfied with resistance. When the enemy, scared, ran from the walls, he drew his sword, made the band strike up ' Garryowen ' and followed the fugitives for two or three hundred yards "
( Royal Irish ) Lancers, who were garrisoned in Limerick and was played throughout the Napoleonic War, becoming the Regimental March of the 18th Foot ( The Royal Irish Regiment ).
A very clear reference to the tune appears in ' The Life of the Duke of Wellington ' by Jocquim Hayward Stocqueler, published in 1853. He describes the defence of the town of Tarifa in late December 1811, during the Peninsular War. General H. Gough, later Field Marshall Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, commanding officer of the 87th Regiment ( at that time known as the Royal Irish Fusiliers ) after repulsing an attack by French Grenadiers " was not, however merely satisfied with resistance. When the enemy, scared, ran from the walls, he drew his sword, made the band strike up ' Garryowen ' and followed the fugitives for two or three hundred yards "
Field Marshall Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough
Garryowen was also very popular during the Crimean War. The tune as been associated with several British Regiments. It was the regimental march of the 50th ( The Queens Own ) Foot ( later The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment ) until 1869. Also The Liverpool Irish and it is the regimental march of The London Irish Rifles now part of the London Regiment ( TA ) . It was also the regimental march for The Irish Regiment of Canada. The American " Fighting Sixty-ninth " had its origin in early 1851, when Irish citizens in New York City formed a militia regiment known locally as the Second Regiment of Irish Volunteers. Unanimously, the group selected " Garryowen " as their official Regimental March.
On the 12th October 1851, the regiment was officially accepted as part of the New York Militia and designated as the Sixty-Ninth Regiment. In 1858 the Regiment would have its first call to duty. Their many subsequent calls to duty included the American Civil War, Spanish American War, The Mexican War, World War I and World War II. Today the 69th is now officially the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry ( Mechanised ) and is part of the 42nd Infantry Division. The history of the 69th New York Infantry reflects the history and progress of the Irish in America. From unwelcome immigrants escaping famine and persecution these men and women were often seen as the
' Filthy Irish ' and spat on. It was quite common that " Irish need not apply " signs were often seen in numerous areas of employment. Through sheer determination and courage they were assimilated and intergrated into the society of America. The ranks of the 69th were filled with heroes, priests, poets, politicians, laborers, lawyers and in short a cross section of Ireland's greatest export her " sons "
Most famously Garryowen will always be associated with the 7th Cavalry. As the story goes, one of the Irish Troopers, under the influence of " spirits " was singing the song. By chance the Colonel of the regiment George Armstrong Custer heard the melody. He liked the cadence and soon began to hum the tune himself. The tune has a lively beat, that accentuates the cadence of marching horses, and for that reason was adopted as the Regimental song soon after Custer arrived at Fort Riley, Kansas to take over command of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, and became the official air to the regiment in 1867. It was the last song played for Custer's men as they left General Terry's column at the Powder River and rode into history.
On the 12th October 1851, the regiment was officially accepted as part of the New York Militia and designated as the Sixty-Ninth Regiment. In 1858 the Regiment would have its first call to duty. Their many subsequent calls to duty included the American Civil War, Spanish American War, The Mexican War, World War I and World War II. Today the 69th is now officially the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry ( Mechanised ) and is part of the 42nd Infantry Division. The history of the 69th New York Infantry reflects the history and progress of the Irish in America. From unwelcome immigrants escaping famine and persecution these men and women were often seen as the
' Filthy Irish ' and spat on. It was quite common that " Irish need not apply " signs were often seen in numerous areas of employment. Through sheer determination and courage they were assimilated and intergrated into the society of America. The ranks of the 69th were filled with heroes, priests, poets, politicians, laborers, lawyers and in short a cross section of Ireland's greatest export her " sons "
Most famously Garryowen will always be associated with the 7th Cavalry. As the story goes, one of the Irish Troopers, under the influence of " spirits " was singing the song. By chance the Colonel of the regiment George Armstrong Custer heard the melody. He liked the cadence and soon began to hum the tune himself. The tune has a lively beat, that accentuates the cadence of marching horses, and for that reason was adopted as the Regimental song soon after Custer arrived at Fort Riley, Kansas to take over command of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, and became the official air to the regiment in 1867. It was the last song played for Custer's men as they left General Terry's column at the Powder River and rode into history.
Lieutenat-Colonel George Armstrong Custer
The legend of Garryowen still plays a major part in the 7th Cavalry today. To the 7th Cavalry it is more than a song and a regimental motto. To the men it has been a way to say many things. In combat it was used to respond to the sound of a chambered round, preceeded by " who goes there? " nearing a perimeter and it meant " friend ".
At meeting and at departure from a 7th Cavalry friend it means ' great to see you ' and ' stay safe '. In a veterans time, it still means all of these things but it intoned with the unspoken words of ' I love you my friend, as i do my own brother '. Garryowen became the official tune of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1981. President Roosevelt declared the tune as " the finest marching tune in the world ".
At meeting and at departure from a 7th Cavalry friend it means ' great to see you ' and ' stay safe '. In a veterans time, it still means all of these things but it intoned with the unspoken words of ' I love you my friend, as i do my own brother '. Garryowen became the official tune of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1981. President Roosevelt declared the tune as " the finest marching tune in the world ".
Emblem of the American 7th Cavalry
The geographical area that provided the inspiration and the name for one of the most well known military tunes is situated near the City of Limerick, Ireland, and is located hald a mile southeast of King John's Castle, on the upward slope of a hill at the end of Garryowen Road. Local traditions and folk lore have preserved the historical significance of the area and the origin of its name " Garryowen ", a compound word composed of two Irish words Garri ( the Irish for Garden ) and Eoin ( the Irish word for John, referencing King John's Castle - a local landmark at the bottom of the hill. The name Eoin, pronounced " Oin " or " Oh-en ", was later phonically transformed to " Owen " thus allowing the two seperate Irish words " Garrai " and " Eoin " to be translated into the single compound English word, written without a capital " O " as Garryowen.
The terrain features of Garryowen provided a broad, commanding view of the richly cultivated surrounding countryside, the old town of Limerick and the valley of the Shannon River which gently washed the battered, fortified towers of King John's Castle which was constructed in the late 1180s to control merchants and traffic along the river. A review of Irish literature reveals that Garryowen became a general rendevous for those who sought simple pleasure and amusement. It was also an area of drunken rowdyness where the young men fond of wit amused themselves by having parties at night to wring the heads off all the geese, and tearing knockers off the doors in the nieghborhood. They sometimes suffered their genius to soar as high as the breaking of a street lamp and even resorting to the physical violence of a watchman. But this type of joking was found a little too serious to be repeated frequently, for few achievements of so daring a violence were documented in the records. They were obliged to content themselves with less ambitious distinction of destroying the door knockers and store-locks, annoying the peace of the neighborhood, with long continued assaults on the front doors, terrifying the quiet onlookers with every species of insult and provocation, and indulging their fratricidal propensities against all the geese in Garryowen, The fame of the Garryowen boys soon spread far and wide. Their deeds were celebrated by some inglorious minstrel of the day in the now so famous melody which has, since, resounded over the world; and even symbolically competed for national popularity with " St. Patrick's Day " The name of Garryowen was as well known as that of the City of Limerick itself, and Garryowen soon became almost a synonym for Ireland.....or it could just be an old Irish Yarn!!
The terrain features of Garryowen provided a broad, commanding view of the richly cultivated surrounding countryside, the old town of Limerick and the valley of the Shannon River which gently washed the battered, fortified towers of King John's Castle which was constructed in the late 1180s to control merchants and traffic along the river. A review of Irish literature reveals that Garryowen became a general rendevous for those who sought simple pleasure and amusement. It was also an area of drunken rowdyness where the young men fond of wit amused themselves by having parties at night to wring the heads off all the geese, and tearing knockers off the doors in the nieghborhood. They sometimes suffered their genius to soar as high as the breaking of a street lamp and even resorting to the physical violence of a watchman. But this type of joking was found a little too serious to be repeated frequently, for few achievements of so daring a violence were documented in the records. They were obliged to content themselves with less ambitious distinction of destroying the door knockers and store-locks, annoying the peace of the neighborhood, with long continued assaults on the front doors, terrifying the quiet onlookers with every species of insult and provocation, and indulging their fratricidal propensities against all the geese in Garryowen, The fame of the Garryowen boys soon spread far and wide. Their deeds were celebrated by some inglorious minstrel of the day in the now so famous melody which has, since, resounded over the world; and even symbolically competed for national popularity with " St. Patrick's Day " The name of Garryowen was as well known as that of the City of Limerick itself, and Garryowen soon became almost a synonym for Ireland.....or it could just be an old Irish Yarn!!
