A Little Irish – Very American

Here’s something a little different for St. Patrick’s day – GARRYOWEN.

Garryowen got its start as an Irish drinking song (Is there any other kind?) in the 1700s in Limerick.  It gained immediate popularity in the British Army through the 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers. 

Sometimes written as two words, or with only one R, Garryowen is played at almost any ceremony that involves American armor, cavalry or air-cav units.  Over the years, Garryowen has been associated with quite a few British military units, and it is the regimental march of the Irish Regiment of Canada. 

Garryowen became the marching tune for the 69th Infantry Regiment, New York Militia, (the famed "Fighting 69th" ) in the mid-1800s. The "Fighting 69th" adopted Garry Owen before the Civil War and recently brought it back to combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

It later became the marching tune for the US 7th Cavalry Regiment during the late 1800s. The tune was a favorite of General George Armstrong Custer and became the official air of the Regiment in 1867. According to legend it was the last tune played before the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The name of the tune has become a part of the regiment, the words Garry Owen are part of the 7th Cavalry regimental crest.