The <a href="“>Royal Dublin Fusiliers Arch in St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin, Ireland, is dedicated to the members of the regiment who died in the Second Boer War. The Dublin Fusiliers were an infantry regiment of the British Army created in Ireland (and stationed there when not deployed). From 1899 until 1902, the regiment was in South Africa in the 2nd Boer War campaign, including helping to break the Siege of Ladysmith (as seen on the monument). The unit served in World War I before being disbanded in 1922.
Memorials to the Irish who served in the British Army have been fraught with tension, particularly those who served in World War I. Some soldiers felt betrayed by the 1916 uprising, and some nationalists felt that the soldiers should have been hope fighting against the British rather then fighting under them in the War.
Nice balanced post. I walked through the arch yesterday (beautiful day) and also peered through the railings at the Huguenot Cemetery in Merrion Row, which was a riot of bluebells.
Thank you! I only had a brief stay in Dublin (arrived late afternoon Sunday the day we landed at the airport and left Tuesday morning), but I saw more than anyone else on my trip with as much walking as I did. I am saving for another trip.
Regardless of its history, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Arch is very beautiful: it would be ashame to neglect or demolish it for political reasons. Dublin has lost enough good architecture already. And the bravery of the Irish regiments should be commemorated and not forgotten, either in Ireland or the UK. We owe them a lot.