The Irish Defence Forces cap badge (that’s “defense” for us yanks) is now yours to wear on a wide variety of high-quality merch. Such as…
Check out more than 60 items of high-quality merch that you can get this design on.
The Design and Its Meaning
The Irish Defence Forces cap badge (Óglaigh na hÉireann) is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Irish State. It is a brass sunburst with the entwined letters “FF” at its center, usually in interlaced Gaelic script. The letters stand for Fianna Fáil, meaning “Soldiers of Destiny” or “Warriors of Fál” (Fál being an ancient name for Ireland), from the Lia Fáil Stone of Destiny at Tara.
The badge thus proclaims its wearer a soldier of Ireland, heir to the legendary Fianna of Fionn mac Cumhaill. The sunburst itself symbolizes the dawn and rebirth of the nation.
Origins of the Badge
The “FF” device was popularized by Fianna Éireann, the nationalist youth group founded in 1909, and was adopted by the Irish Volunteers in 1913. The new state’s army kept it as its official badge after 1924, preserving the title Óglaigh na hÉireann.
Worn During the 1916 Rising
During the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin, the Irish Defence Forces cap badge was the principal cap insignia of the Irish Republican forces. Volunteers manning the GPO, Boland’s Mill and other positions wore it on peaked caps and slouch hats, often with civilian clothing, the badge marking them clearly as soldiers of the proclaimed Republic. The Irish Citizen Army wore the Starry Plough instead, but the “FF” sunburst became the emblem most linked to the Rising and remains so today.
