Medical Corps (Ireland)
| Medical Corps an Cór Liachta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Branch |
 Army |
| Type | Medical corps |
| Role | Medical support |
| Motto |
Comraind Legis (Middle Irish for "equal division of healing") |
| Website | http://www.military.ie/army/organisation/army-corps/medical/ |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |
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The Medical Corps (Irish: an Cór Liachta)[1] is the medical corps of the Irish Army, a branch of the Irish Defence Forces, responsible for the provision of health promotion, medical and dental support to forces while on exercise and deployment.
Because it is not a fighting arm (non-combatant), under the Geneva Conventions, members of the corps may only use their weapons for self-defence.
Insignia
The corps has its own distinctive insignia. Its badge displays the words "Óglaigh na hÉireann" (the name of the Defence Forces in Irish) on a scroll at the top. At the bottom is another scroll with the corps' motto, "Comraind Legis". This Middle Irish phrase is a quotation from the Táin Bó Cuailgne, equivalent to modern Irish "comhroinn leighis"; it translates as "equal division of healing", referring to impartial treatment of the wounded. The scrolls are joined on each side by a staff about which a serpent is twined. In the centre is a silver hand, referring to Nuada Airgetlám, the mythological chieftain of the Tuatha Dé Danann who lost his hand in battle and had an artificial silver hand made to replace it. [2]