Saffron Kilt and Irish Regiment of Canada

[Sawney Bean]

Hi,
incidentally the Irish Guards pipers wear a saffron kilt as do the pipers of The Royal Irish Regiment and those of the London Irish Rifles - whose march is also Garryowen* (which is about an 18th century drinking club of well appointed chaps in Limerick). Slainte.

* It was a very popular song during the Victorian era and it probably got into the 7th Cav. via the various Irish members, particularly Miles Keogh an Irish born officer who, I think, served previously with the British Army.

[macwilkin]

Hi,
incidentally the Irish Guards pipers wear a saffron kilt as do the pipers of The Royal Irish Regiment and those of the London Irish Rifles - whose march is also Garryowen* (which is about an 18th century drinking club of well appointed chaps in Limerick). Slainte.

* It was a very popular song during the Victorian era and it probably got into the 7th Cav. via the various Irish members, particularly Miles Keogh an Irish born officer who, I think, served previously with the British Army.

Myles Keogh served with the Papal Army in the 1860s. The myth of Keogh's service may stem from the Errol Flynn movie They Died With Their Boots On, where a fictional ex-British Officer, "Queens Own Butler", teaches Custer the song in an officer's mess at Ft. Abraham Lincoln. Butler mentions the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. Butler is believed to be a composite of Keogh and W.W. Cook, who was a Canadian.

T.

[Jimmy]

Myles Keogh served with the Papal Army in the 1860s. The myth of Keogh's service may stem from the Errol Flynn movie They Died With Their Boots On, where a fictional ex-British Officer, "Queens Own Butler", teaches Custer the song in an officer's mess at Ft. Abraham Lincoln. Butler mentions the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. Butler is believed to be a composite of Keogh and W.W. Cook, who was a Canadian.

T.

The John Wayne movie either Fort Apache or Rio Grande, one of the trilogy he made in the late forties or very early fifties, Myles Keogh is mentioned by name by John Wayne's character after he hears about the massacre at Little Big Horn.
He reads out from the list of soldiers killed saying that some such as Myles Keogh were personal friends of his. I can't remember the name of John Wayne's character but they were 3 of the best films he made

[macwilkin]

The John Wayne movie either Fort Apache or Rio Grande, one of the trilogy he made in the late forties or very early fifties, Myles Keogh is mentioned by name by John Wayne's character after he hears about the massacre at Little Big Horn.
He reads out from the list of soldiers killed saying that some such as Myles Keogh were personal friends of his. I can't remember the name of John Wayne's character but they were 3 of the best films he made

That was She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. There is a scene where Capt. Brittles is visiting his wife's grave, and he tells a story of how Keogh would dance with her at the officer's ball.

INMHO, that was John Wayne's best role ever, especially the scene where Capt. Brittles retires -- "Lest We Forget".

T.

[macwilkin]

Here are several photos of IDF pipers in saffron kilts on UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon), circa 1982:

http://www.unifil.ie/51st%20Irishbatt.html

http://www.unifil.ie/60th%20Irishbatt.html

As an old Model UN'er, I must say that the blue beret looks rather good with a saffron kilt.*

*No comments regarding the UN, please.

T.

[dfmacliam]

Thanks for those pictures, CajonScot! I do not know if you were aware, but I arrived in Beirut, Lebanon in Febuary of 1983 with the 22nd MAU, and we served with the Multinational Peacekeeping Force. (hence my screen name). Those pictures were taken south of us by a bit, but the feel of the country is there.. We arrived about 6-7 months after the first group of pictures, and were probably the same time as the second group..

[macwilkin]

Thanks for those pictures, CajonScot! I do not know if you were aware, but I arrived in Beirut, Lebanon in Febuary of 1983 with the 22nd MAU, and we served with the Multinational Peacekeeping Force. (hence my screen name). Those pictures were taken south of us by a bit, but the feel of the country is there.. It's possible that the Isreali unit passing thru that village was the one that was based 1000 meters to our south,we had numerous run ins with the unit, including one I was involved in.

I'm glad I posted the link, then!

T.

[O'Callaghan]

Hi,
incidentally the Irish Guards pipers wear a saffron kilt as do the pipers of The Royal Irish Regiment and those of the London Irish Rifles - whose march is also Garryowen* (which is about an 18th century drinking club of well appointed chaps in Limerick). Slainte.

* It was a very popular song during the Victorian era and it probably got into the 7th Cav. via the various Irish members, particularly Miles Keogh an Irish born officer who, I think, served previously with the British Army.

Pipers in the Irish Air Corps and the Irish Army also wear the saffron kilt, as do even a few civilian pipe bands in the Republic (although most of the latter wear tartan, and some of them wear solid green kilts).