News & Forthcoming Events

This list is always under review and being updated so

MEMBERS AND GUESTS PLEASE KEEP CHECKING THIS PAGE!!!

 2012 calendar so far........

• Feb IWOI filming and Battle Weekend, "the farm", with IRA date TBC
• Mar 24th & 25th 2012 AGM and training weekend Duncannon Fort
• April 14th & 15th Waterford Food Festival, Dungarvan Castle, WW1
• May 5th & 6th WW2 Battle Weekend "the farm"
• May Dublin Model Show, TBC
• June 2nd & 3rd Duncannon Military Show Weekend and Battle, Duncannon Fort, Wexford
• June 23rd & 24th, IMVG Military Show, Naas Racecourse
• June 30th Gorey Co. Wexford Militaria Fayre
• July 1st WW1 filiming event WW1 South Irish Horse
• July 28th & 29th IWOI training and battle weekend "the farm"
• September/ October National Museum Dublin IWOI events details TBC
• September/ October WW2 Allied Airborne training and battle weekend dates TBC
• Decmber WARGroup Christmas Dinner and AGM 2013, Duncannon
• Any more events and details to follow.... :u)

Click on the photo below to jump to the maps page for location details of our main events

Lookout lads- the London Irish are coming!!! Battlegroup South take a pasting (but we know our friends at BGS will bounce back to fight another day!!)

Wargroup and Battlegroup South make the National Press!

Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, July 3rd and 4th 2010

This was, again, a really GREAT show! we were truly blessed with the weather and the crowds were delighted with the displays and the battles & skirmishes. A reporter from The Independant newspaper took part with our friends in Battlegroup South, and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend too. You can read his article on the event on The Independant website by clicking the link below:

 http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/on-manoeuvres-with-the-lads-army-2278172.html

5th and 6th June Duncannon Military Show and Battle 2010

WHAT A COMPLETE SUCCESS!!!! We were truly blessed with sunshine all weekend during the daytime, (thank goodness for the "sunny southeast!" ;u) and thousands of people flocked to see WARGroup and all our friends in action. there were some 41 re-enactments over the weekend, from Roman and Celtic times through to WW1 and of course, our main WW2 Battle with the Germans on the beach!

This year, for the first time, our Irish War of Independance re-enactments included an auxiliary and "Black and Tan" element, which went down VERy well with the public, especially when we were eventually vanquished by our group's "flying column"! Many of the public were especially impressed by the particularly unfriendly Black n Tans on the gates to the fort....pics to follow soon!

Thankfully everyone got into the event and the true spirit of re-enactment and not only had a great time but seemed to learn something new about our history. More detailed article and pics to follow soon- so WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

May 31st London Irish Rifles Bren Carrier nearly ready for Dunncannon weekend!

WARGroup's Bren Gun Carrier

(more correctly termed a "Universal Carrier" as it had so many uses in WW2) finally arrived in good shape after it's long journey nearly half way round the world. After some TLC She has been re-born as a Carrier, Universal, Mk2 for the 56th Div, London Irish Rifles. She sports her new name "Doghouse" (they were often given names, sometimes girlfriends or places with fond memories), and after surprisingly little tweaking she is nearly ready for our group's main Battle event of the year in Dunncanon. The pics above show her in her new livery, adorned with the appropriate detritis of warfare, and with some of the LIR members of WARGroup trying her out! And....(not surprisingly perhaps)...she purrs like a black cat!!!! :u)

May 16th Curragh Military Show

Wow! What a great weekend we had at the Curragh- it was good to see so many of the WARGroup lads turn out, as well as our brothes in arms from BattleGroup South who also put on a stunning display complete with tank traps, anti-tank guns, armoured car and minefield! (although we managed to neutralise the latter- more of that later.... ;u) )

the weather was kind, the crowd friendly and interested, and each or WARgroup's four groups put on a small display- including seeing our resident Subaltern nurse Dorota resplendant in her new QAIMNS outfit complete with headscarf and crimson cloak!

Fantastic evening with indoor smoking room (almost LITERALLY!!) and our resident pole-dancers- and no we're NOT referring to our Polish comrades on this occasion....! :u) climbing the slippery pole will never have the same meaning again....

pics (censored as required) to follow   DJ

Mar 13th/14th WARGroup Battle Weekend

After initial camp set-up, the two powers ranged against each other set out their battle plans and the weekend commenced....

The allied forces were coming to terms with their level of (un)fitness whilst the Axis forces sent out forward observers, soe on foot, some in motorcycle/sidecar combinations with machineguns. after a long routemarch to attack the enemy from the rear, the Allies were in a commanding position above the German HQ which was heavilty armed and fortified, however breaking cover to do this would have been suicidal. A quick change of plan ensued and a classic ambush was sprung on the German patrol, using cross-fire from above and below, left and right.

The German Paratroop unit however ambushed the Allied troops returning at dusk, so balance was restored....(unfortunately!).

The next day after initial probes revealed exactly how well defended the German position was (impenetrable from three sides), a diversionary attack was co-ordinated together with a rear assault, which was nearly successful despite the overwhelming odds in favour of the German defenders- however in the end, the German forces survived to face another day....and another battle! :u)

Thanks to everyone for another fantastic event, and especially Joe, Colm and Emmet who arranged and ran the whole thing   DJ

Wargroup 40s Night, Cork, January 2010- a Great Success! (and a very worthy cause)

The WARGroup 40s night in aid of the Children's Leukaemia Ward, Cork University Hospital, was another great success and hugely enjoyed by everyone. Thanks to all who made the effort to come and join in and help with such a good cause. We're not sure though about some of those new friends you're making there, lads!! :u)

Forthcoming Skirmishes

To Locate forthcoming events, click the image above to link to the googlemaps page

New film- Weekend Warriors

We are now online in film! You can find out more about all our work and what we get up to in this trailer for a documentary showing for the first time in Cork recently at the Cork Film Festival-ENJOY!

For WARGroup members who haven't yet seen it, there are copies of the full film available for all members- ask your section leader for more details