The Royal Irish Regiment is the last remaining Irish infantry regiment of the line. The 1st Battalion is based in Tern Hill, Shropshire and forms part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. The 2nd Battalion is a Territorial Army battalion and its headquarters is in Portadown, Northern Ireland with company locations across the province. 1 Royal Irish Battlegroup returned in October 2008 from their second tour in Helmand Province, Afghanistan - and again deployed to Helmand Province in 2010.

From its origins in 1689 right up to the present day the Royal Irish Regiment and its antecedent regiments have been engaged in the front line of British international military engagements.

Our antecedent regiments have played a significant role in world affairs for over 300 years from Waterloo, the Indian Mutiny and the Boer War to the battles of the Somme, Dunkirk, Normandy and Korea.  More recently the 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment has been on operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan.  The Regiment has a proud and distinguished record of service in several operational theatres.

The 1st Battalion is based in Tern Hill, Shropshire (between Liverpool and Birmingham) and forms part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. 16 Brigade is the UK's high readiness early entry force and comprises the Royal Irish Regiment, as air assault force, alongside Apache attack helicopters and the Parachute Regiment.