List of wars involving the Republic of Ireland

This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Ireland and its predecessor states, since the Irish War of Independence. Since the 1930s, the state has had a policy of neutrality and has only been involved in conflicts as part of United Nations peacekeeping missions.

There have been many wars on the island of Ireland throughout history. Before independence, all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom and Irish soldiers fought in many foreign wars as part of the British military. Irish soldiers also fought in conflicts as part of other armies.

List

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
Irish War of Independence
(1919–1921)
Republic of Ireland Irish Republic  United Kingdom Victory
  • Anglo-Irish Treaty:
  • Dominion status for 26 counties of Southern Ireland as the Irish Free State
  • 6 counties of Northern Ireland remain part of UK
  • United Kingdom retains the Ports of Berehaven, Spike Island and Lough Swilly
Irish Civil War
(1922–1923)
Republic of Ireland National Army Republic of Ireland Irish Republican Army Victory
  • Confirmation of the Irish Free State
  • Defeat of Anti-Treaty forces
Congo Crisis
(1960–1964)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force  Katanga Victory
Cyprus conflict
(1964–present)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force  Turkey

 Cyprus
 Greece

Ongoing
The Troubles
(1968–1998)
State security forces

 Ireland

Irish republican paramilitaries

Ulster loyalist paramilitaries

  • UVF(1966–94)
  • UDA(1971–94)
  • RHC(1972–94)
  • UR (1986–)
  • LVF (1996–)
Stalemate
Lebanese Civil War
and South Lebanon conflict
(1978–present)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force South Lebanon Army
 Israel

Hezbollah
Amal
PFLP-GC

Ongoing
Somali Civil War
(1992–1995)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force Somalia United Somali Congress Victory
  • UN humanitarian mandate fulfilled
  • About 100,000 lives were saved by outside resistance
  • Civil war is ongoing
Yugoslav Wars
(1991–2001)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FR Yugoslavia Victory
  • Stabilisation of the Balkans
  • On-going Active Irish Presence
East Timorese Crisis
(1999–2000)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force Indonesia Pro-Indonesia militia Victory
  • Defeat of pro-Indonesian militia
  • Stabilisation of East Timor
Chadian Civil War
(2008–2010)
 European Union
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force
Rebel groups
Syrian Civil War in the Golan Heights
(2013–2018)
United Nations United Nations peacekeeping force Syrian opposition

Al-Nusra Front


 Syria

See also

References

  • v
  • t
  • e
Lists of wars involving European countries
Sovereign statesStates with limited
recognition
Dependencies and
other entities
  • Åland
  • Faroe Islands
  • Gibraltar
  • Guernsey
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Svalbard