Army

Keeping A St Patrick's Day Tradition Alive In Cyprus

For more than a century Irish regiments have marked St Patrick's Day by wearing a sprig of shamrock in their headdress.

Troops from the Royal Irish Regiment are currently serving with the United Nations (UN) in Cyprus.

However, that didn’t stop them from keeping up a tradition that dates back to 1900.

In that year Queen Victoria, shocked by the losses suffered by Irish soldiers during the Boer War, issued a decree.

From that day on all ranks in Her Majesty’s Irish regiments would wear a sprig of shamrock to mark the gallantry of their fallen comrades.

Before 17th March 1900, the 'Wearin' of the Green' had been banned.