The Defence Forces participates in various national ceremonies throughout the year. Each service within the Defence Forces has a designated role to play during these ceremonies. Depending on the ceremony the Defence Forces involvement may consist of Guards of Honour, Gun Salutes and Musical recitals .
Defence Forces Participation
The Defence Forces participate in the State ceremonial connected with
- Presidential Inaugurations
- Presidential State Visits Abroad
- State Visits to Ireland by Heads of State
- Presentation of Credentials by Ambassadors
- Official visits to Ireland by Heads of Government
- 1916 Commemoration Ceremonies, GPO/Arbour Hill
- State Funerals
- Gun Salutes by Foreign Ships-of-War
- National Day of commemoration ceremonies
- Easter Parade
- National Famine Commemoration
Guards of Honour
Guards of Honour are deployed to render personal honours to persons of rank or position who are entitled to a Guard of Honour, on arrival at, or departure from, a location. All Guards of Honour are strictly reserved for state or military ceremonies, or for a ceremony of a distinctive national character. There are different variations of Guards of Honours depending on the ceremony:
Captains Guard of Honour
This guard of honour is made up 3 Officers- 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 1 Company Sergeant, 3 Sergeants and 100 other ranks made up of Corporals and Privates
Captains Tri-Service Guard of Honour
This guard of honour is made up 3 Officers- 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 1 Company Sergeant, 3 Sergeants and 99 other ranks made up of Corporals and Privates from the three services of the Defence Forces.
Lieutenants Guard of Honour
This guard of honour is made up 2 Lieutenants, 1 Company Sergeant, 3 Sergeants and 50 other ranks made up of Corporals and Privates.
Cadet Guard of Honour
This guard of honour is made up 2 Lieutenants and 50 Cadets
There are also Courtesy Guards of honour of the same types but with reduced numbers of personnel participating.
Escorts of Honour
A Cavalry Motor Cycle Escort of Honour is normally provided on ceremonial occasion, to add dignity to the occasion by the general bearing, turn out and dressing of the escort and to ensure that the pace of the escorted vehicle is such that it will arrive at the designated location at the correct time. An Escort of Honour consists of a formation of mounted troops and a trumpeter(3).
Captain's Escort of Honour
A Captain's Escort of Honour is composed of 3 Officers - 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants , 24 other ranks of NCO and/or troopers and 2 buglers.
Lieutenant's Escort of Honour
A Lieutenant's Escort of Honour is composed of 1 Lieutenant , 16 other ranks of NCO and/or troopers and 1 bugler.
Gun Salutes
Military Honours in the form of Gun Salutes will consist of twenty-one guns.
A Field Artillery Battery firing a gun salute is composed of 6 guns. Military Gun Salutes are rendered on the following occasions:
- Presidential Inauguration
- The visit, other than a private visit, of a Head of Foreign State, when entering and leaving the State
- In return of a gun salute fired by a foreign ship-of-war
- Military Funerals for a General Officer or a Military member of the Council of Defence, on authorisation of the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support)
