Hello, I'm trying to track down as much information as I can regarding my great-grandfather's participation in the Irish army.
I'd like to pin down the date for the following pieces of uniform so I can better make a request for his pension application.
He returned to Ireland for a time in the mid-thirties (I believe that's when these date from) to file for something the government was offering to veterans. His claims (and unsubstantiated family history) say he was a veteran of 1916, which may or may not be true, but it seems reasonably certain that he was involved at least from 1918-20.
After living in the US from 1920 to sometime in the 1930s, he returned with his family (he married in Nov 1922 and had children in 1923 and 25 in New York) and the intention of staying in Ireland.
I do not know precisely when this was, but he returned to the US with a copy of Knocknagow which he received from someone who owned it (and dated it) in 1934. He's in NY for the 1930 US census, began processing paperwork for US naturalization on 31 Mar 1936, applied for a Social Security number in 1937 and finished his naturalization in 1939. In the paperwork, a witness says that he has "lived continuously in the US since 1 Oct 1934," so perhaps it was the early 30s? Perhaps he returned to the US in 34 after receiving the book? Perhaps the witness lied altogether? My grandfather distinctly remembered going back there as young boy and attending school.
I do not believe he ever returned to Ireland after that, nor does it seem that he requested a medal in 1941.
Anyway, the pieces of uniform are a belt buckle and parade stick. I tried to take close pictures from as many angles as I could. The buckle weighs 1.7 oz and is chrome plated. The parade stick bears two burn marks whose purpose (my grandfather told me) was so the men could tell one stick from another (perhaps meaning that he spent some time in a barracks).
I don't know if my great-grandfather formally rejoined the Defense Forces at that time, or if he was issued a uniform for parades, or any other particulars except the anecdotes which I have related.
As much information as you can tell me would be tremendously appreciated. Thank you in advance.
http://i31.tinypic.com/25a465w.jpg
both items
http://i27.tinypic.com/359y72w.jpg
front of buckle
http://i31.tinypic.com/16glqn9.jpg
detail of front
http://i31.tinypic.com/1071bo1.jpg
more buckle
http://i32.tinypic.com/2cxexzb.jpg
back of buckle
http://i29.tinypic.com/2ugm4bc.jpg
back of buckle detail
http://i29.tinypic.com/10rjtpi.jpg
buckle side
http://i27.tinypic.com/245ac9h.jpg
chrome chip
http://i32.tinypic.com/2n71hts.jpg
front detail
http://i31.tinypic.com/1z5qflx.jpg
stick markings
http://i26.tinypic.com/5eecmb.jpg
stick tip
http://i25.tinypic.com/ddcq5i.jpg
stick topper
http://i26.tinypic.com/rgypl2.jpg
stick detail
http://i27.tinypic.com/b7xb0n.jpg
stick topper metal
http://i31.tinypic.com/2q3ubs0.jpg
more stick detail (with flash)
http://i27.tinypic.com/4rrczr.jpg
more stick metal