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The caubeen is a type of hat worn by Irish soldiers, the OTC of the British Army, and Irish regiments in Canada and South Africa. It is similar to other traditional Irish and Scottish hats and features the company’s insignia and a colored feather. Different regiments are identified by different colored hackles worn on the front of the hat.
A caubeen is a type of hat worn by Irish soldiers, the Officers’ Training Corps (OTC) of the British Army, and the Irish regiments of Canada and South Africa. It is similar to other traditional Irish and Scottish hats, such as the Tam O’ Shanter, the Glengarry, and the Balmoral. The caubeen developed from the traditional Irish helmet, and its name comes from an Irish word meaning “little hat.” The caubeen is very tall at the front and sloping, usually to the left. It usually features the company’s insignia, sometimes with a colored feather. The Irish military version is dark green.
Bands of the Northern Irish Regiment of the British Army began wearing the caubeen, along with yellow kilts, in 1922. Each regiment is identified by a different colored hackle, worn on the front of the hat. The entire London Irish Rifles regiment began wearing the headgear in 1937, and other Irish regiments began wearing the hat in 1944, during World War II. During this period, the soldiers’ hats were made from the coats of Italian soldiers. In 1947 all regiments of the Northern Ireland Brigade incorporated the caubeen into their uniform.
The regimental band of the Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers is distinguished by the gray whoops, while the Royal Irish Fusiliers wear the greens. The London Irish Rifle Bands and Irish Guards wear blue buckles on their caubeens, and the buckles worn by the Liverpool Irish are red and blue. The Royal Ulster Rifles did not have a regimental band before 1948, but adopted black hairs in 1947, when all regiments began wearing the caubeen. Sergeants, officers and NCOs of the 40 (Ulster) Signal Regiment wear blue caubeens instead of the green ones worn by soldiers.
The daily uniform of the Irish Regiment of Canada includes a caubeen with a green hackle and a yellow kilt. The green hackle was provided as a gift to the regiment by a commanding officer of the London Irish during the Battle of Coriano, Italy. Members of the South African Irish Regiment, part of the South African National Defense Force, also wear the helmet.
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