Welcome to The 88^th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers), christened the "Devils Own" by General Picton. The 88^th earned a fearsome reputation for themselves in the Peninsular for their devastating bayonet charges and hand-to-hand fighting capabilities. We reproduce some of their Peninsular exploits on our history page.

Our club has resurrected the spirit of the old 88^th and portrays the 1^st and 2^nd Battalions of the regiment as they would have appeared on campaign in 1812.

The 2^nd Battalion was formed in 1997 and the 1^st Battalion got under way in Sligo in the west of Ireland in 2002. Who says the Irish do things backwards...?

As a "campaign" regiment we do not therefore require as much "spit and polish" as some other units but we are aiming to build a first rate display unit and look for commitment and the right attitude towards safety. 

We were formed in 1997 but thanks to commercial sponsorship have grown very quickly and have staged our own major UK events at Farnham Castle - see photo gallaries. We have developed excellent relations with the Army Benevolent Fund which is our adopted charity and are regularly invited to social functions at the Officers Mess in Aldershot. 

The club has been honoured to be asked to provide musket drill displays in the grounds of Garrison Officers Mess for the annual Army charity dinner commemorating Waterloo.

The 88^th were of course the "most Irish, of all the Irish regiments" but you don’t have to be Irish to join our "parcel of lads", just so long as you’ve either kissed an Irish girl or drunk a pint of Guinness (or know someone who has...). 

We allow women in the ranks and welcome family membership. We are particularly keen to attract musicians of all kinds and a good fiddle player would not go thirsty. 

The club owns sufficient spare uniforms and equipment to assist new members to get started and to provide a comprehensive living history encampment when on campaign. We train every month and our social calendar is guaranteed to keep the "Craic Fierce".

Best wishes, Rob Anderson, General Secretary
(robanderson@ukonline.co.uk)

Acknowledgements: We thank G.A. Embleton for permission to use his copyright illustration in this website of a Sergeant and a Private in the 88th Foot (Connaught Rangers), Badajoz, 5 April 1812, and Greenhill Books who own copyright of the Grattan's book "Adventures With The Connaught Rangers 1809-1814".