Faugh A Ballagh

Common card · No. 352819

Faugh a ballagh ( FAWKH ə BAL-əkh; also written Faugh an beallach) is a battle cry of Irish origin, meaning "clear the way". The spelling is an 18th-century anglicization of the Irish language phrase Fág an bealach [ˈfˠaːɡ ə ˈbʲalˠəx], also written Fág a' bealach. Its first recorded use as a regimental motto was by the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot (who later became the Royal Irish Fusiliers) in 1798. It remains the motto of the Royal Irish Regiment today. It was adopted from the words of Sergeant Patrick Masterson at the Battle of Barrosa as he tore into the French ranks to capture the first French Imperial Eagle to be taken in the Peninsular War. It was popularized outside Ireland during the American Civil War by the Army of the Potomac's Irish Brigade – composed of the 69th New York Volunteer Infantry (NYVI) or "Fighting 69th", the 63rd & 88th NYVI, and later the 116th Pennsylvania and 28th Massachusetts Infantry regiments. A variant transliteration of the motto, Faj...

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