Search Ireland, Defence Forces' Military Archives Nominal Rolls, 1921-1922
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Discover your ancestor’s role during a transformative period of Irish history when men and women took extraordinary risks to pursue independence. Did your ancestor carry messages for Cumann na mBan or train with the Na Fianna Éireann? Delve deeper into your Irish heritage with military nominal rolls from the Military Archives of Ireland. The records were created for pension claims from those who served with Irish Volunteers, Irish Republican Army, Cumann na mBan, and Na Fianna Éireann.
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Your search will give you the option to view the transcript and the original military records. The records vary in composition, but most will include the following facts:
Name
Year
Appointment or Rank
Location
Organisation
Division
Brigade
Brigade as transcribed
Battalion
Company
Truce or Start of the Civil War - This field shows which period an individual appears in:
Truce/end of the War of Independence: listed in records dated 11 July 1921
Start of the Civil War: listed in records dated 1 July 1922
File reference
You may discover multiple files for your ancestor; for example, if they were transferred between companies or units. Additionally, men or women who were active across the two periods of service may appear twice.
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Delve deeper into your Irish ancestry with these military nominal rolls. The rolls have been published in partnership with the Military Archives of Ireland. This collection consists of nominal roll files created in the mid-1930s to support pension assessments under the Military Service Pensions Act (1934). Because revolutionary organisations operated largely in secret, senior local officers compiled verified membership and organisational details to assist referees in confirming service and supporting fair and efficient evaluations.
The collection encompasses:
The Irish Volunteers and IRA (series RO)
Cumann na mBan (series CMB)
Na Fianna Éireann (series FE)
The collection comprises approximately 600 files for the IRA (this includes material on the Hibernian Rifles and the Irish Citizen Army), 165 for Cumann na mBan, and 41 for Fianna Éireann.
It records membership listings and organisational strength as of 11 July 1921 (the Truce and here, symbolically the end of the War of Independence) and 1 July 1922 (taken for this purpose as the start of the Civil War). These dates also correspond to the Military Service Pensions schedule used by the Referee to certify service by defined “periods”: 11 July 1921 marks the end of Period 7, while 1 July 1922 marks the beginning of Period 9.
The IRA records are the most extensive, documenting membership across all organisational levels: from companies and battalions to brigades, flying columns, specialist units, and General Headquarters (GHQ). In total, they cover 16 divisions and 87 brigades (including the Scottish Brigade), as well as separate files relating to GHQ leadership and command structures from 1919 onward.
Despite the genuine efforts of the Brigade Committees in 1935, these files cannot be regarded as complete, fully accurate, or comprehensive. Also, files do not include National Army (1922-1923) membership.
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