The 1st Battalion (87th Foot) was raised by General Doyle in Ireland in 1793 and was fighting in 1794 in Belgium and afterwards saw a great deal of rough service in South America. It was, however, in the Peninsular War that it earned undying fame, charging the enemy who were in greatly superior numbers, at Barrosa, with such fury as to overthrow them, and led to the capture of an eagle by Sergt. Patrick Masterman, whose grandson won a V.C. in South Africa. In recognition of its splendid bravery the regiment was given a Royal title and directed to display an eagle as badge. The regiment has exhibited the same high standard of bravery in all its subsequent campaigns. The 2nd Battalion (89th Foot), raised in 1793, also made a splendid name for courage.
Nicknames: 1st Battalion, "The Old Fogs," or the "Faugh-a-Ballagh Boys"; 2nd Battalion, "The Rollickers."
(Depot, Galway.)
(Record Office, Cork.)
The Elephant.
The Sphinx, superscribed "Egypt."
"Seringapatam," "Talavera," "Busaco," "Fuentes d'Onor," "Ciudad Rodrigo," "Badajoz," "Salamanca," "Vittoria," "Pyrenees," "Nivelle," "Orthes," "Toulouse," "Peninsula," "Alma," "Inkerman," "Sevastopol," "Central India," "South Africa, 1877-8-9," "Relief of Ladysmith," "South Africa, 1899-1902."
Motto: Quis separabit? (Who shall separate?)