The Irish Battalion in the Papal Army of 1860 is a gripping historical account of the brave Irish volunteers faith, courage, and sacrifice. In an age when the Church faced militant secularism and the Papal States stood as relic of Christendom, a thousand Irishmen left their homeland to defend the Vicar of Christ, Bl. Pope Pius IX. Answering the Holy Father’s call for aid, these brave men—aristocrats and peasants alike—formed a crucial part of the Papal Army, fighting with devotion at Perugia, Spoleto, Castelfidardo, and Ancona against the revolutionary and Godless Piedmontese Army seeking to unify Italy by force.

Originally published in 1929, George Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley’s meticulously researched work draws from archival records, personal testimonies, and military accounts to tell the story of the Irish battalion. Berkeley details the complex political and religious motivations behind the conflict, dispelling common myths and defending the integrity of the Papal cause against the slanders of the Piedmontese. All the while offering a vivid portrayal of the challenges faced by the Irish volunteers—many of whom lacked proper training, arms, and organization—yet who nevertheless fought with remarkable spirit and dedication.

Their sacrifice was not in vain. Though much of the Papal States was lost at the end of the conflict in 1860 and the unit was disbanded in 1862, many of the Irishmen would go on to join the Papal Zouaves. An elite unit in the Papal Army compromised of soldiers from across Christendom, they would go on to defend Rome until fell to the Piedmontese in 1870. others carried their battlefield experience across the Atlantic to the American Civil War. Among them include Captain Myles Keogh, who, after serving under the papal banner, went on to become a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, ultimately perishing alongside General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn. General John Coppinger, wounded at Spoleto, later rose to prominence as a commander in the Union Army, while Captain Patrick Clooney, a member of the Irish Brigade in the Union Army, died while gallantly leading his company at the Battle of Antietam.

Whether on the battlefields of Italy or America, these men carried with them the honor and legacy of serving as Defenders of the Vicar of Christ, their sacrifice forever etched into the history of the Church and the lands they fought to defend.

George Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley (1870–1955) was an Anglo-Irish soldier, historian, public servant, and Irish nationalist. A supporter of Irish Home Rule and the Irish Volunteers, he served as a brigade musketry officer with the 3rd Cavalry Reserve during World War I. He authored several historical works, including The Italy in the Making series, The Irish Battalion in the Papal Army of 1860, and The Campaign of Adowa and the Rise of Menelik. Berkeley’s works are distinguished by their rigorous scholarship and meticulous research.

Is a First Lieutenant in the United States Army and a graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Military Studies. He is currently a student at Christendom Graduate School of Theology studying for an M.A. in Moral Theology. Brendan founded Papal Zouave International in 2023 and currently lives in Killeen, Texas, with his wife, Amber, and daughter, Isabella.