British Army in Ireland

[romney]

My great great grandfather served as a recruiting sergeant in the Cumbrian Regiment in Ireland. The regiment were over there in the 1870/1880s. Why would they have been there. The family moved back to Cumbria by the time my maternal grandmother's father was born in 1887/1888. My great great grandfather was born in Ireland as were a number of his children. I am just a bur curious as to why they were there.

[Elwyn Soutter]

I don't have any specific information on your grandfather's regiment but the British Army had considerable numbers of troops in Ireland for many years, based at places like the Curragh camp in Co Kildare. Most Irish people had been pressing for home rule (independence) for many years at that time. British rule in Ireland had very limited public support and so troops were essential to sustain it, to put down protests etc. This British military presence continued until independence in 1922. (Indeed even after independence the UK kept military garrisons at 3 places in the Republic (Cobh, Rathmullan and I think Castletownbere) until evicted by Eamon de Valera at the beginning of the second world war.)

Your relative's regiment would have been called out to deal with public protests, and occasional attacks by the natives. A fairly common scenario in any part of the British Empire where the occupation was against the natives wishes (ie most of the Empire).

[keith9351]

34th (the Cumberland) Regiment of Foot were in Ireland from 1872 until leaving for India in 1875.
Ireland was a very good recruiting ground for the British Army, not only for the Irish Regiments.
A lot of the English Regiments had a large proportion of Irish volunteers.
Keith

[Marie C..]

There was also the barracks at Birr, County Offaly(Kings) Ireland. Here the Hampshire regiment among others, were stationed. before going to India and then in 89/90 to S. Africa, ( Boer War).
Marie