Defence Force Badge

Defence Forces Badge

The Badge design (common to all Corps and services and all orders of dress) is derived from the badge of the Irish Volunteers.
The Badge originally adopted by the Irish Volunteers October 1914 as the official badge of the organisation. The Centrepiece is formed of the letters "FF". These letters signify "Fianna Fáil". The word "Fianna" is the name of the ancient military organisation (Circa 3rd Century A.D.) forming what then corresponded to the standing army of the country. The word "Fáil" means "Destiny". One of the ancient names of Ireland was "Innisfail" (The Isle of Destiny) and "Fianna Fáil" thus signifies the "Fianna (or Army) of Ireland".
The two letters are surrounded by a representation of an ancient warriors sword belt and a circle of flames which represent the "Sunburst" – the traditional battle symbol of the Fianna. The words "Óglaigh na hÉireann" inscribed around the sword belt mean "Soldiers of Ireland". No particular significance is attached to the representation of the star which was included to balance the design.