Irish Defence Forces cap badge
The Irish Defence Forces cap badge, often called the FF badge, is worn by all branches: the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps. It was designed in 1913 and is usually linked to Eoin MacNeill, though other people such as Canon Peadar Ua Laoghaire and The O’Rahilly are also associated with it. There were early variations for different commands, but many volunteers wore the Óglaigh na hÉireann badge.
The central FF stands for Fianna Fáil or “Soldiers of Destiny,” a name suggested in 1915 by Canon Ua Laoghaire. The badge also includes symbols from Irish history, such as the Fianna (Gaelic warriors) and the Stone of Destiny (Fál), which was used by republicans in the 1916 Easter Rising.
The Free State Army later adopted the badge for its uniforms before the Civil War.
How it is worn varies by rank and service. In the Army, all ranks wear it on headgear. Enlisted and most NCOs use a Stay-Brite aluminium version; older soldiers sometimes wear the original brass badge. Commissioned officers and senior NCOs wear a larger dark bronze version. On Service Dress, generals, the Head Chaplain, and certain staff also wear a gold bullion version on a red backing, the same version used on Mess Dress caps.
In the Naval Service, Seamen and Leading Seamen wear the Stay-Brite version on caps and berets. The Air Corps used to wear Army uniforms; since 1994, with the blue Air Corps uniform, cloth cap badges show a smaller version of the badge and include a phoenix.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:08 (CET).