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Elias Murr

Elias Murr (إلياس المرّ, ʾIlyās al-Murr; born 30 January 1962) is a Lebanese politician and an International political figure.

Early life and education
Murr was born on 30 January 1962 in Bteghrine. He is the son of former deputy prime minister and interior minister, Michel Murr. He holds a master's degree in law.

Political career
Elias Murr started his political career as the mayor of Bteghrine, his hometown, from 1982 till 1996.

From 2000 to 2005 Murr was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Municipalities, replacing his father Michel Murr. In 2001 he oversaw the drafting and signature of the International Labour Organization at the convention to execute the Action program to protect working children and to combat and eliminate child labor. During his ministry, Murr was appointed acting minister of foreign affairs.

Murr was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense from 2005 and 2008.

Murr supports international police cooperation, and served from 2000 to 2004 as president of the Arab Interior Minister Council, which coordinates internal security and crime fighting among Arab nations.

In 2009, Elias Murr was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister.

In 2010, Murr was a member of the Lebanese National Dialogue committee.

In October 2013, Murr was appointed the President of the Board of the Interpol Foundation for a Safer World, which aims to strengthen the capabilities of Interpol to fight money laundering, organized crime and financing of terrorism.

Murr took part in many negotiations with the United Nations, and oversaw the deployment of 25,000 soldiers for the implementation of UNSC resolution 1701, preserving the cease fire mandated by the international community. Elias Murr is an honored officer of the National Cedar Legion and the holder of the Grand Cross of the Order of Spain.

Assassination attempt
On 12 July 2005, Murr was targeted by a circa 20-kg improvised explosive device in the city of Antelias, 5 km north of Beirut. 12 people were injured, and one person was killed by the explosion that almost took the life of the Deputy Prime Minister at the time. Murr said that he knew an attempt on his life had been planned for months, and had informed the state security services.

Business activities
In parallel with his political endeavors, Murr spent the past twenty years at the helm of "Group Murr", founded in 1957 by his father as a construction company operating in the public works sector.

Group Murr is featured in Forbes' "Top 100 Making An Impact in the Arab World" list.

In 2015, the group holds more than 25 companies, operating across three continents and a wide range of segments of the international market, including: Construction, real estate and resort development, engineering, consumer products, aviation services, security, commercial services for the shipping industry.

Murr also serves as the chairman of the board of the Al Joumhouria News Corporation, the publisher of one of Lebanon's leading daily newspapers and of several other thematic periodicals.

After stopping publications throughout the Lebanese civil war, under H.E. Murr's leadership the Al Joumhouria newspaper, saw its rebirth in 2011, and became the first Lebanese newspaper to embrace new media, by developing proprietary mobile applications, push notifications, and developing an award-winning website for its digital edition. Murr is also the chairman of the board of Pan Arab News; a website currently under construction, marrying innovation and creativity with using smart technologies to offer its users a unique experience. Pan Arab News will tackle Middle East news as well as the latest events in the Gulf Region.

WikiLeaks accusations
In December 2010, a Lebanese Newspaper posted on its website cables from the United States diplomatic cables leak revealing that Murr had separated the army from Hezbollah if a new war was to erupt on Israel's northern border.

title: Elias Murr


text: Template:Constituencies in North East England

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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ROF Thorp Arch

ROF Thorp Arch was one of sixteen Second World War, UK government-owned Royal Ordnance Factory, which produced munitions by "filling" them. It was a medium-sized filling factory (Filling Factory No. 9).

It was located on the banks of the River Wharfe, north-east of the two villages of Boston Spa and Thorp Arch; and four miles south-east of the town of Wetherby, West Yorkshire in England.

War time
The Royal Ordnance Factory was constructed for the Ministry of Supply, with the Ministry of Works acting as agents. The site was connected to the London & North Eastern Railway line, which was used in its construction and then for supplying raw materials to the factory and for transporting away filled munitions.

Construction work on Thorp Arch began on 18 May 1940 and the completion date was scheduled for the end of July 1941. The site was divided into a number of separate Filling Groups which occupied different areas of the site and were devoted to filling specific type of ammunition. It produced munitions for both the Army and the Royal Air Force. It is believed to have had 619 buildings.

In the Second World War it produced light gun ammunition, medium gun ammunition, heavy ammunition, land mines and trench mortar ammunition for the Army; medium and large bombs for the RAF; and, 20 mm and other small arms ammunition for all three services. Some of these were produced in quantities measured in millions and hundreds of millions of items.

Post-war
ROF Thorp Arch closed down twice: firstly, after the end of the Second World War; and then finally, in April 1958 four years after the end of the Korean War, as a result of planned cuts in the British Army published in the 1957 Defence White Paper.

Current use
Part of the site is now in use as the Thorp Arch Trading Estate. Other parts are used to house the Northern Reading Room, Northern Listening Service and Document Supply Centre of the British Library. Another part is a prison, originally HMP Thorp Arch, now HMP Wealstun.

title: ROF Thorp Arch


text: File:LaJoven.jpg

title: File:LaJoven.jpg


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User talk:Sexy111

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User talk:Salvadors

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User talk:AudiomanJS

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Elgin Cathedral

Elgin Cathedral, a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, northeast Scotland, was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II and stood outside the burgh of Elgin, close to the River Lossie. It replaced the cathedral at Spynie located 3 km to the north, which was served by a small chapter of eight clerics. By 1226, the new and developing cathedral was staffed with 18 canons, a number that increased to 23 by 1242. A damaging fire in 1270 led to significant enlargement. It remained unscathed during the Wars of Scottish Independence but suffered extensive fire damage in 1390 when attacked by Robert III's brother Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch. In 1402, the cathedral precinct faced another incendiary attack by the Lord of the Isles followers.

As the cathedral grew, so did the number of clerics and craftsmen. Repairs following the fires of 1270 and 1390 resulted in the choir's doubling in length and the addition of outer aisles to both the nave and choir. While some parts of walls retain their full height, others are at foundation level, yet the overall cruciform shape is still discernible. A mostly intact octagonal chapter house dates from the major enlargement after the fire of 1270. The near intact gable wall above the double door entrance linking the west towers was rebuilt after the fire of 1390. It contains fragments of a large rose window with remnants of tracery work. The transepts and the south aisle of the choir contain recessed and chest tombs with effigies of bishops and knights. The now grass-covered floor bears large flat slabs marking early graves. The residences of the dignitaries, canons and chaplains within the chanonry were also destroyed during the fires of 1270, 1390 and 1402, forming part of the overall reconstruction process. Only the precentor's manse remains substantially intact, while two others have been incorporated into private buildings. Both west front towers, part of the initial construction, are mostly complete. A massive protective wall surrounded the cathedral precinct, but only two small sections have survived. Of the wall's four access gates, only the Pans Port remains.

By the time of the Scottish Reformation in 1560, the number of canons had increased to 25. After the Reformation the cathedral was abandoned, and its services transferred to Elgin's parish church of St Giles. The removal of the roof's lead waterproofing in 1567 marked the beginning of the cathedral's steady decay. Although still largely intact in 1615, a winter storm brought down the roof covering the eastern limb. In the spring of 1711, the central steeple above the crossing collapsed, taking the walls of the nave with it. Ownership shifted from the Church to the Crown in 1689, but made no difference to the building's continued deterioration. Conservation efforts began in the early 19th century and continued until the end of the 20th century, with significant improvements to the two western towers.

Early church in Moray

The Diocese of Moray was a regional bishopric, unlike the pre-eminent see of the Scottish church, St Andrews, which had evolved from a more ancient monastic Celtic church and administered scattered localities. It is uncertain whether there were bishops of Moray before c. 1120, but the first known prelate—possibly later translated to Dunkeld—was Gregory (or Giric, in Gaelic) and was probably bishop in name only. Gregory was a signatory to the foundation charter of Scone Priory, issued by Alexander I (Alaxandair mac Maíl Choluim) between December 1123 and April 1124, and again in a charter defining the legal rights of the same monastery. He is recorded for the last time when he witnessed a charter granted by David I to Dunfermline Abbey in c. 1128. These are the only known details of Gregory with no basis for later assertions that he was a promoted monk in a 'Pictish Church'.

After the suppression of Óengus of Moray's rebellion in 1130, King David must have regarded the continued existence of a bishopric in Moray as essential to the stability of the province. However, the next bishop, William (1152–62) was an absentee titular bishop and King David's chaplain. Having been David's aide since 1136, he likely did little to improve the stability of the see by the time he died in 1162.

Felix was the next bishop and is thought to have been prelate from 1166 to 1171, although no accurate dates are certain. Little is known about his tenure, with only one instance of him appearing as a witness in a charter of William the Lion at his court held in Elgin.

Following Felix's death, Simon de Toeni, King William's kinsman and a former abbot of Coggeshall in Essex, became the next bishop. Bishop Simon was the first of the early bishops to adopt a hands-on approach to his diocese and was said to be buried in Birnie Kirk, near Elgin, after his death on 17 September 1184, although this claim first emerged in the 18th century.

Simon's successor was Richard of Lincoln, once again a royal clerk, and one who struggled to build up the revenues of the bishopric during and after the insurgence of Domnall mac Uilleim (Donald MacWilliam). Richard is regarded as the first significant resident bishop of the see.

During this early period, these bishops had no settled location for their cathedral, and sited it successively at the churches of Birnie, Kinneddar and Spynie. Pope Innocent III issued an apostolic bull on 7 April 1206 that allowed bishop Brice de Douglas to fix his cathedral church at Spynie. The inauguration was held between spring 1207, and summer 1208. A chapter of five dignitaries and three ordinary canons was authorised and based its constitution on that of Lincoln Cathedral. Elgin emerged as the lay centre of the province under David I, who likely established the first castle in the town. It may have been this castle, with its promise of better security, that prompted Brice to petition the Pope to move the seat from Spynie to Elgin before July 1216.

Cathedral church at Elgin
Despite Brice's earlier appeal, it was not until Andrew de Moravia's episcopate that Pope Honorius III issued his bull on 10 April 1224 authorising his legates Gilbert de Moravia, Bishop of Caithness; Robert, Abbot of Kinloss; and Henry, Dean of Ross to examine the suitability of transferring the cathedra to Elgin. The Bishop of Caithness and the Dean of Ross performed the translation ceremony on 19 July 1224. On 5 July, Alexander II (Alaxandair mac Uilliam) agreed to the transference in a writ referring to his previous land grant for this purpose. The land grant predated the Papal mandate and could indicate that work on a new church was already underway before Brice's death, but this is thought unlikely and that it was Bishop Andrew who commenced the building works on an unoccupied location. Construction of the cathedral was completed after 1242. Chronicler John of Fordun recorded (without explanation) that in 1270 the cathedral church and the canons' houses had been destroyed by fire. The cathedral was rebuilt in a larger and grander style, forming the greater part of the structure that stands today. This work is believed to have been completed by the outbreak of the Wars of Scottish Independence in 1296. Although Edward I of England took his army to Elgin in 1296 and again in 1303, the cathedral remained untouched, as it was by his grandson Edward III during his assault on Moray in 1336.

Soon after his election to the see in 1362–63, Bishop Alexander Bur requested funds from Pope Urban V to repair the cathedral, citing neglect and hostile attacks. In August 1370 Bur began protection payments to Alexander Stewart, Lord of Badenoch, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch, who became Earl of Buchan in 1380, and who was the son of the future King Robert II. Numerous disputes between Bur and Buchan led to Buchan's excommunication in February 1390. The bishop then turned for protection to Thomas Dunbar, the son of the Earl of Moray. In response, and possibly through frustration of the reappointment of his brother Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife as guardian of Scotland, Buchan descended from his island castle on Lochindorb and burned the town of Forres in May and Elgin, including the cathedral and its manses, in June. It is believed that he also burned Pluscarden Priory at that time, which was under the bishop's protection. Bur sought reparation from Robert III for his brother's actions in a letter stating: my church was the particular ornament of the fatherland, the glory of the kingdom, the joy of strangers and incoming guests, the object of praise and exaltation in other kingdoms because of its decoration, by which it is believed that God was properly worshipped; not to mention its high bell towers, its venerable furnishings and uncountable jewels.

Robert III granted Bur an annuity of £20 for his lifetime, and the Pope provided income from the Scottish Church over the following decade. In 1400, Bur complained to the Abbot of Arbroath about prebendary churches in the Moray diocese not paying their dues for the cathedral restoration. In the same year Bur wrote to the rector of Aberchirder church, telling him that he now owed three years' arrears of the subsidy that had been imposed on non-prebendary churches in 1397. Once again, on 3 July 1402, the burgh and cathedral precinct were attacked, this time by Alexander of Lochaber, brother of Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles, sparing the cathedral but burning the manses. For this, Lochaber and his captains were excommunicated, prompting Lochaber's return in September to make reparations and gain absolution.

In 1408, the money saved during an ecclesiastic vacancy was diverted to the rebuilding process, and in 1413 a grant from the customs of Inverness was provided. Increasingly, the appropriation of the parish church revenues led to many churches becoming dilapidated and unable to attract educated priests. By the later Middle Ages, the standard of pastoral care outside the main burghs had significantly declined.

Bishop John Innes (1407–14) made significant contributions to the cathedral's rebuilding efforts, as evidenced by the inscription on his tomb praising his work. Upon his death, the chapter met secretly—"in quadam camera secreta in campanili ecclesie Moraviensis" ("in the same secret chamber in the bell tower of Moray church")—and agreed that if one of its members was elected bishop, they would provide one-third of the bishopric income annually until the reconstruction was completed. The major alterations to the west front were completed before 1435 and bear the coat of arms of Bishop Columba de Dunbar (1422–35). The north and south aisles of the choir were likely completed before 1460, with the south aisle containing the tomb of John de Winchester (1435–60). The final significant feature to be rebuilt was the chapter house between 1482 and 1501, which displays the arms of Bishop Andrew Stewart.

Diocesan organisation
The chapter was the sum total of dignitaries and canons and had the primary role of aiding the bishop in governing the diocese. As Moray adopted the constitution of Lincoln diocese, the bishop's involvement in the chapter was restricted to being an ordinary canon, while the dean took on the leadership role. This arrangement was also true for the bishops of Aberdeen, Brechin, Caithness, Orkney and Ross. Every morning, the canons met in the chapter house to listen to a reading from St Benedict's rulebook before the day's business was discussed. Bishop Brice presided over a small chapter comprising eight clerics, including the dean, precentor, treasurer, chancellor, archdeacon, and three canons. His successor, Bishop Andrew de Moravia expanded the chapter significantly by appointing two additional senior positions (succentor and subdean) and 16 more canons with prebends. By the time Andrew died, there were 23 prebendary canons, and two more were created before the Reformation. Churches that were either located in ecclesiastic lands or granted to the diocese by landowners were subject to assignment to canons as prebends. The de Moravia family, to which Bishop Andrew belonged, contributed greatly to these endowments.

Deans of Christianity oversaw the priests within the deaneries and carried out the bishop's directives. The Moray diocese was divided into four deaneries—Elgin, Inverness, Strathspey and Strathbogie. The parish churches within these deaneries provided the income not only for the cathedral and chapter but also for other religious houses within and outside the diocese. Many churches were allocated to support designated canons and a smaller number were held in common. The bishop received mensal and prebendary income from the parish churches in his separate capacities as prelate and canon.

The government of the diocese affecting both clergy and laity was vested entirely in the bishop, who appointed officers to the ecclesiastical, criminal and civil courts. The bishop, assisted by his chapter, produced the church laws and regulations for the bishopric and these were enforced at occasional diocesan synods by the bishop or, in his absence, by the dean. Appointed officials adjudicated at consistory courts looking at matters affecting tithes, marriages, divorces, widows, orphans, wills and other related legal matters. In Moray, these courts were held in Elgin and Inverness. By 1452 the Bishop of Moray held all his lands in one regality and had Courts of Regality presided over by Bailiffs and Deputies to ensure the payment of revenues from his estates.

Cathedral offices
Large cathedrals such as Elgin had many chapel altars requiring canons, assisted by many chaplains and vicars, to conduct daily services. Bishop Andrew allowed for the canons to be aided by seventeen vicars consisting of seven priests, five deacons and five sub-deacons. Later the number of vicars was increased to twenty-five. In 1350, the stipends of the vicars at Elgin were not sufficient for their livelihoods, so Bishop John of Pilmuir provided them with the income from two churches and the patronage of another from Thomas Randolph, second Earl of Moray. By 1489, the stipends varied among the vicars, with one receiving 12 marks, six receiving 10 marks, one receiving eight marks, three receiving seven marks, and six receiving five marks. Each vicar was directly employed by a canon, who was obligated to provide four months' notice in the event of termination of his service.[ The vicars were of two kinds: the vicars-choral who primarily worked in the choir for the main services, and the chantry chaplains who conducted services at individual foundation altars though there was some overlap in their duties. While the chapter followed the constitution of Lincoln, the form of divine service replicated that of Salisbury Cathedral.

Records indicate that disciplinary measures, including fines and even corporal punishment, were imposed on Elgin's vicars-choral for shortcomings in the performance of services. Such punishments were administered in the chapter house by the sub-dean and witnessed by the chapter. King Alexander II founded a chaplaincy for the soul of King Duncan I who died in battle with Macbeth near Elgin. The chapel most frequently mentioned in records was St Thomas the Martyr, located in the north transept and supported by five chaplains. Other chaplaincies documented are those of the Holy Rood, St Catherine, St Duthac, St Lawrence, St Mary Magdalene, St Mary the Virgin and St Michael. By the time of Bishop Bur's episcopate (1362–1397), the cathedral had 15 canons (excluding dignitaries), 22 vicars-choral and a similar number of chaplains.

Despite these numbers, not all clergy were regularly present in Elgin Cathedral. Absences were a common occurrence in all cathedrals during a period when ambitious clerics would accept positions in other cathedrals. Time spent away from the chanonry was not without permission, as some canons were appointed to be always present while others were allowed to attend on a part-time basis. The dean of Elgin was permanently in attendance; the precentor, chancellor, and treasurer were available for half the year. The non-permanent canons had to attend continuously for three months. However, in 1240, the chapter decided to penalise canons who persistently absented themselves, breaching the terms of their attendance, by deducting one-seventh of their income. In the Diocese of Aberdeen, and likely in other bishoprics as well, when important decisions needed to be made by the chapter, an absentee canon had to appoint a procurator to act on their behalf. This task usually fell to one of the dignitaries who had a higher probability of being present.[ In 1488, at Elgin, many canons failed to adhere to the terms of their approved leave of absence, resulting in each of them receiving a formal warning and summons. Despite this, ten canons refused to attend, leading to a deduction of one-seventh of their prebendary income.

Much of the workload fell on the vicars and a smaller number of permanent canons being responsible for celebrating high mass, delivering sermons, and organising feast day processions. Seven services were held daily, mostly for the clergy and took place behind the rood screen, separating the high altar and choir from lay worshipers. Only cathedrals, collegiate churches and large burgh churches were resourced to perform the more elaborate services while services in the humbler parish churches were more basic.

The bishops were careful to uphold high standards within the cathedral ensuring that a significant number of graduate clerics who, as choir vicars, could act as proxies for absentee canons, alongside an unknown number of resident chaplains. In addition to those in holy orders, clerks and lawyers were needed to record and execute the requirements of the chapter. Of necessity, there were needs for artisans and craftsmen such as masons, carpenters, and glaziers, all engaged in maintaining the fabric of the buildings with housekeepers, cooks, land workers and gardeners needed to sustain the precinct population. At the bishop's residence at Spynie, the household numbers would also have been significant with officials handling records of the bishop's estate, and servants working in the service buildings such as the kitchen, bakehouse, brewhouse, granary and stables.

Map interpretation
The description of the relative positions of the chanonry manses given by the late 19th, and early 20th century antiquarian, the Rev. Stephen Ree has been reproduced in David Firth's article for The Innes Review and forms the basis for this map. It is constructed from a 19th century Ordnance Survey (OS) town map of Elgin as its base layer and preserves the road layout which has changed little since medieval times. Extraneous detail has been removed but in all other respects, it retains standard mapping proportions and accuracy. The college boundary walls and Ree's data are applied.

Although modified over time, three manses still exist—those of Inverkeithny, the Precentor, and the Archdeacon (positions 4, 9 and 13 respectively). However, two further manses, Duffus and Unthank (positions 18 and 19) can be accurately located by juxtaposing the pre-Reformation and post-Reformation chanonry layout. To do this, the much later King Street (established in 1830), is shown as a transparent overlay to preserve detail. King Street divided those manses from each other leaving them on opposite corners of King Street where it joined North College Street (shown on the map as Derne Road) and were not set back into their respective gardens, but formed part of their respective property boundaries. These five manses provide precise reference points that assist in placing the others. While the exact positioning, alignment and other characteristics of the remaining manses, along with their relative boundaries are speculative, they do correlate with Stephen Ree's description. Similarly, aside from the two existing sections, the precise positioning of the chanonry wall is unclear, however, a notable indicator of the wall's position was a six-foot thick segment integrated into a house on Collie Street.

The College of Elgin and associated locations
The chanonry, referred to in the cathedral's records as the college of the chanonry (collegio canonicatus), or simply as the college (collegium), comprised the cathedral and the residences of canons, vicars, and chaplains grouped around it. This precinct was surrounded by a substantial wall, measuring over 3.5 m in height, approximately 2 m in thickness, and said to have measured about 820 meters (2,690 ft) in length. The wall had four gatehouses: the west gate that allowed travel to and from the burgh, the south gate facing the lands of the hospital of Maison Dieu and joining with the King's Highway, the extant east gate, or Panns Port, accessing the meadowland called Le Pannis—this gate illustrates the portcullis defences of the gatehouses (Fig. 1)—and the north gate providing a more convenient route towards the bishop's mill and his Spynie Palace.

Although manses were normally located within the precinct walls this was not always the case. Bishop John Pilmuir (1326-1362), on 14 December 1360, gifted a portion of land that he had secured from a secular clerk specifically for the building of four manses for chaplains. The land, feued from the Brothers of St Lazarus, was situated outside the west wall, on the road to the burgh of Elgin and between two lanes—one of which may have been the proto-Lazarus Wynd (position 26). With his death approaching, Pilmuir's conditions were that the chaplains should pray for the redemption of his soul and those of his parents. Again, but by whose authority is unknown, the manse of Rhynie adjacent to the manses of five or more chaplains stood outside of the west wall but to the north (positions 1 and 2).

Bishop Andrew Stewart (1482-1501), the youngest son of James Stewart of Lorne, and Joan Beaufort, the widow of James I of Scotland, was a significant figure during the reign of his nephew, James III. Following the death of James in 1488, Bishop Andrew found himself out of favour at James IV's court allowing him to spend more time in his diocese. In May 1489 Andrew called a general convocation of his canons to make long overdue changes to the college and its environs. Midst his slew of legislation was authorising essential repairs to two of the gatehouses, the Panns Port and the west gate to the burgh. Another major improvement involved inserting a new gateway (the North Gate) into the precinct wall beside the manse of Botarie (position 3). Andrew also instructed thirteen prebendaries, which included the archdeacon and the succentor, to immediately "erect, construct, build, and duly repair their manses, and the enclosures of their gardens within the college of Moray".

The manse of Duffus (in its earlier wooden form) had hosted two kings. The first was Edward I of England on 10 and 11 September 1303 after the castle became unusable and then to the Scottish king James II in 1455. As already stated, the manse of the precentor, mistakenly called the Bishop's House, is partly ruined and is dated 1557 (Fig. 2). Vestiges of the prebendary of Inverkeithny's manse and the Archdeacon's manse (Fig. 3) are now part of private buildings.

There were two friaries in the burgh. The Dominican Black Friars friary was founded in the western part of the town below the castle, around 1233. The friary of the Franciscan (Friars Minor Conventual) Grey Friars was later founded in the eastern part of the burgh sometime before 1281. It is thought that this foundation didn't last long but was followed between 1479 and 1513 by a house of Observantine Grey Friars. The building was transferred into the ownership of the burgh around 1559 and later became the Court of Justice in 1563. In 1489, the chapter founded a school that served not only as a song school for the cathedral but also to provide an education in music and reading for some children of Elgin.

The hospital of Maison Dieu, dedicated to St Mary, was situated near the cathedral precinct and was established by Bishop Andrew de Moravia before 1237 for the aid of the poor. It suffered fire damage in 1390 and again in 1445. Initially, the cathedral clerks received it as a benefice but gradually fell into disrepair due to a lack of support. Bishop James Hepburn granted it to the Blackfriars of Elgin on 17 November 1520, possibly to try and ensure its survival. After the Reformation, the Crown took ownership of the property, and in 1595, James VI granted it to the burgh for educational and charitable purposes. In 1624, it was replaced by an almshouse but in 1750 it was substantially damaged during a storm and lay in ruins until its demolition during a 19th century redevelopment of the area.

Post–Reformation
In August 1560, parliament gathered in Edinburgh and enacted legislation declaring the Scottish church to be Protestant, removing papal authority, and making the Catholic mass illegal. Consequently, cathedral buildings now survived only if they were used as parish churches and as Elgin had been fully served by the Kirk of St Giles, its cathedral was abandoned. On 14 February 1567, an act of parliament authorised Regent Lord James Stewart's Privy Council to order the removal of the lead from the roofs of both Elgin and Aberdeen cathedrals, to be sold to support the army, but the overladen ship commissioned to take the cargo to Holland capsized and sank in Aberdeen harbour. Regent Moray and Patrick Hepburn, Bishop of Moray ordered repairs to the roof in July 1569, appointing Hew Craigy, Parson of Inverkeithing, as master of the work and was to collect contributions from the canons of the diocese—this clearly didn't happen.

In 1615, John Taylor, known as the 'Water Poet,' described Elgin Cathedral as a "fair and beautiful church with three steeples." However, he noted that the roofs, windows, and many marble monuments and tombs were broken and defaced.

Decay began and the roof of the eastern limb collapsed during a storm on 4 December 1637. In 1640 the General Assembly ordered Gilbert Ross, the minister of St Giles kirk, to remove the rood screen partitioning the choir and presbytery from the nave. The screen was chopped up for firewood by Ross and the Lairds of Innes and Brodie. It is believed that the destruction of the great west window was caused by Oliver Cromwell's soldiers sometime between 1650 and 1660.

At some point, the cathedral grounds became the burial ground for Elgin. In 1685, the town council repaired the boundary wall but specifically ordered that stones from the cathedral not be used. Despite the building's increasing instability, the chapter house continued to be used for meetings of the Incorporated Trades from 1671 to 1676 and then again from 1701 to around 1731. No attempt was made to stabilise the structure and on Easter Sunday 1711, the central tower collapsed demolishing the nave. Subsequently, the cathedral's stonework was quarried for local projects. Many artists visited Elgin to sketch the ruins, and it is from their work that the slow but continuing ruination can be observed. By the closing years of the 18th century, travellers to Elgin began to visit the ruin, and pamphlets giving the history of the cathedral were prepared for those early tourists. In 1773 Samuel Johnson recorded, "a paper was put into our hands, which deduced from sufficient authorities the history of this venerable ruin." Since the abolition of bishops within the Scottish Church in 1689, ownership of the abandoned cathedral fell to the crown, but no attempts were taken to halt the building's decline. Acknowledging the necessity to stabilise the structure, the Elgin Town Council initiated the reconstruction of the perimeter wall in 1809 and cleared debris from the surrounding area in about 1815. The Lord Provost of Elgin petitioned the King's Remembrancer for assistance to build a new roof for the chapter house and in 1824, £121 was provided to the architect Robert Reid for its construction. Reid was significant in the development of a conservation policy for historical buildings in Scotland and was to become the first Head of the Scottish Office of Works (SOW) in 1827. It was probably during his tenure at the SOW that the supporting buttresses to the choir and transept walls were built.

In 1824, John Shanks, an Elgin shoemaker and an important figure in the conservation of the cathedral started his work. Sponsored by local gentleman Isaac Forsyth, Shanks cleared the grounds of centuries of rubbish dumping and rubble. Shanks was officially appointed the site's Keeper and Watchman in 1826. Although his work was highly valued at the time and brought the cathedral back into public focus, his unscientific clearance methods may have resulted in much valuable evidence of the cathedral's history being lost. He died on 14 April 1841, aged 82. A fortnight later, the Inverness Courier published a commemorative piece on Shanks, calling him the "beadle or cicerone of Elgin Cathedral", and writing: His unwearied enthusiasm in clearing away the rubbish which encumbered the area of the Cathedral and obscured its architectural beauties, may be gathered from the fact that he removed, with his pick-axe and shovel, 2866 barrowfuls of earth, besides disclosing a flight of steps that led to the grand gateway of the edifice. Tombs and figures, which had long lain hid in obscurity, were unearthed and every monumental fragment of saints and holy men was carefully preserved, and placed in some appropriate situation ... So faithfully did he discharge his duty as keeper of the ruins, that little now remains but to preserve what he accomplished.

Some minor works took place during the remainder of the 19th century and continued into the early 20th century. During the 1930s further maintenance work followed including the addition of a protective roof for the vaulted ceiling of the south choir aisle. From 1960 onwards the crumbling sandstone blocks were replaced and new windows were fitted in the chapter house, which was re-roofed to preserve its vaulted ceiling. From 1988 to 2000, significant renovations were carried out on the two western towers, including the addition of a viewing platform at the top of the north tower.

Diocesan possessions
As well as being the ecclesiastical head of the diocese, the bishops of Moray also possessed significant secular powers as prominent feudal lords. Their landed estates were extensive in significant areas of the Highlands and along the southern reaches of the Moray Firth. The bishops, representing religious and secular authority, played an important role in solidifying royal governance and stability in a historically volatile region. The importance of this relationship was recognised on 8 November 1451 when James II provided Bishop John Winchester with the Barony of Spynie enabling the consolidation of the disparate church lands and other properties into a single entity. On 15 August 1452, the king elevated the barony into a regality. This provided the bishop with wide-ranging powers including the convening of courts of law capable of adjudicating crimes that had previously fallen solely under the jurisdiction of the king's legal officer, the Sheriff. While the 1390 fire destroyed many charters that likely contained significant details regarding the attainment of land grants from royalty and the aristocracy, the surviving documents offer valuable insights into this process. However, the Barony of Spynie charter of 1451 named and defined much, but not all, of the diocesan lands.

Some of the unspecified lands only became apparent during their transference into tenancies or, in some cases, litigation against transgressors. Additional records provide information regarding diocesan lands held by notable leaseholders obliged to pay the bishop homage. These actions typically occurred following events such as the appointment of a new bishop or the emergence of a new heir to relevant lands. Although these occasions were largely symbolic as the lands had normally been granted in perpetuity, they did demonstrate the lengths the bishops went to retain their privileges as secular overlords. The records also provide details of the lands that once were held exclusively by the church but had then been transformed into lease holdings. Land transfer had mainly arisen in the turbulent period from the mid-14th to the early 15th centuries. But even during this time, the bishops strongly defended their rights when secular lords tried encroaching on church lands.

The bishops retained properties that were important to their needs and those of their households. These included elevated areas immediately north of Elgin, considered part of the bishops' demesne, and comprised the lands of Spynie, where the bishop's palace was, and the adjoining barony of Kinneddar. Outside of these areas, church lands were widely dispersed. The lengthy River Spey entered the Moray Firth some 14 km to the east of Elgin. On its east side lay church lands within the upland territories in the Strathbogie including the bishops' mensal barony of Keith (Strathysla). The lands extended southwards into the highland territories on the river's upper reaches of Strathspey and in its catchment area spreading as far south as Logynkenny near the diocesan border with the lordship of Lochaber. West of the Spey, churchlands were present in areas along the fertile coastal plane between Elgin and Inverness and then down both sides of the Great Glen. The highland hinterland also contained church holdings in Glenfiddich, Strathavon, the Findhorn Valley, Strathnairn, and Badenoch.

Barony and Regality of Spynie
 Charter of the Barony of Spynie —granted to Bishop John Winchester (1451)  ''James by the grace of God King of Scots, to all good men of his whole realm, cleric and laic; Greeting: Know that we to the praise and glory of the Holy Trinity, and because of thankful services by the reverend father in Christ, John Bishop of Moray, our beloved Chancellor, frequently paid in his time to our progenitor of happy memory and to be continued by him faithfully to us, gave, granted, and by this our present charter confirmed to the said reverend father in Christ, John Bishop of Moray and his successors, bishops of the Church of Moray, all and sundry the lands of the Barony of Spiny with their pertinents, dependencies and annexes, also all and whole the baronies and lands within written, viz:— the baronies of Kynnedor, Byrneth, Rothenet or Roffert, Fotherues, and Keyth, and all and whole the lands and tenements, glebes, acres, and crofts belonging to said Church of Moray, canonics, and chaplains thereof and rectors and the vicars of said diocese lying within the Sheriffdoms of Inverness and Banff, viz:— the lands of the two Kinmylies, the two Abriachans, Abertarf, Boleskin, Forthir, and the lands of the Marsh of Strathspey, the lands of Rothymurchus, the davoch of Ynche, the davoch of Lagankenzee, with the lakes and fishings of said lands, with the tower of said lake of Lagankenzee, the half davoch of Colnakewill, the lands of Auchmony and Kirkmichel, the lands of Kyncardy and Kyncardin, the town of the Church of Dolesmichel, the towns of the churches of Eskyll and Duppill, Rothes, Altyre with the Ord thereof now commonly called the Bishop's Ord, the town of the Church of Kynnore, and the crofts and acres of the churches of Kingussie and Inuerelzem, Warlaw, Dyik, Dultargusy and Chapel of Rait, and the port and fishing of the water of Lossie, and the tenandries and town of the Church of Deveth, Artralze, Croy, Moy, Duldawauch, Ewan, Undist, Lochlin or Innerin now of Abbirlour, Butruthyn, Arthilldoill, and of Core of Kynnermouth, Avachy, Kyntallargyne with ly Esse and fishing on the water of Forne, Dunbennan, Ruthven, Botary, Drumdelgie, Ryne, Innerkeithny, and the lands of Rothymay, and the lands of Domus Dei, near Elgin, the tenandry of Drumreoch, with all and sundry pertinents thereof, into one pure, entire, and free barony, to be called henceforth the Barony of Spiny, which we will to be called and be, in time to come for ever the head of said Church, which all and sundry baronies and lands foresaid, with all and sundry the pertinents and annexes, we attach to, incorporate and for ever unite to said Barony of Spiny by the tenor of the present charter: To be held and had, all and sundry the foresaid lands with the pertinents, in one pure and entire barony, to be called that of Spiny for ever in time to come, by the foresaid John Bishop of Moray, and his successors Bishops of Moray, in feu and heritage for ever, by all their right marches and divisions, in woods, plains, moors, marshes, ways, byways, waters, pools, rivulets, meadows, pastures, and pasturages, with mills, multures and their sequels, with hawkings, huntings, fishings, rights of casting peats, turfs, collieries, stone-quarries, stone and lime, smithies, breweries, heaths, brooms, with courts and their exits, herzelds, bludwitis and merchet of women, with tenandries and services of free tenants, with doves and dovecots, with ancient customs, with pit and gallows, sok, sak, tholl, theme, infangtheif, outfangtheif, and with all other and sundry liberties, commodities, and easements, and their just pertinents whatsoever, as well not named as named, which belong to foresaid lands with the pertinents, or which may in future in any way just belong, as freely, quietly, fully, completely, honourably, well, and in peace, as any barony within our kingdom, is freely granted or bestowed by us or our predecessors in times past, whatsoever: Doing therefor to us and our heirs, the said John and his successors. Bishops of Moray, one suit at Inverness yearly in the chief court thereof, held there next after the Feast of Pasche (Easter), only, in lieu of every other burden, exaction, question, demand or secular service, which of said barony with the pertinents shall justly be exacted by whomsoever, or required in whatsoever manner: In testimony of which matter we have commanded our seal to be appended to our present charter; the witnesses being the reverend fathers in Christ, William and Thomas, Bishops of the Churches of Glasgow and Galloway, our dearest cousin, William Earl of Douglas and Avondale, Lord Galloway, William Lord of Crichtoun, our chancellor and very beloved cousin; our beloved cousins, William Lord Sommerville, Patrick Lord Glamis, Master John Arrous, Archdeacon of Glasgow, and George de Schoriswode, rector of Cultre. At Stirling the 8th day of the month of November, in the year of the Lord 1451, and of our reign the 15th.''

 Charter of the Regality of Spynie —granted to Bishop John Winchester (1452)  ''James, by the grace of God, King of Scots, to all good men of our whole land, clergy, and laity, greetings. Know that to the praise and glory of the Blessed Trinity and for the exaltation of the Cathedral Church of Moray, and for the gracious services rendered by the reverend father in Christ, John, Bishop of Moray, to our late father, whose memory is to be revered, and also continued faithfully to us; and also for the welfare of our soul, and that of Mary, Queen, our consort, and the souls of our ancestors and successors, we have granted, and by this present charter we grant to the said reverend father in Christ, John, Bishop of Moray, and his successors, Bishops of the Church of Moray, his barony of Spynie, and the burgh of Spynie, with all and singular their belongings, dependencies, and annexes in pure and free regal or royal power. To be held and possessed by the said John, Bishop of Moray, and his successors, Bishops of the Church of Moray, from us and our successors, in perpetual fee and heredity, with all the conveniences and profits belonging to the said barony and burgh, with the free forest and contents, fees and forfeitures, custom dues, and church advowsons, with the ways and courts of justice, the chamber, sheriffdom, and the boundaries of the said ways and courts, amercements, exits, and escheats; with harbours and passages, and with all other and singular liberties, conveniences, and amenities, and just belongings, whatsoever, as well as those not named as those named, appertaining to the regal power, or that may legitimately pertain in the future, and as freely, quietly, fully, honourably, well, and peacefully, in all things and in all ways, as any regal power granted or donated more freely, quietly, or honourably to any church or ecclesiastical persons whatsoever in our kingdom. The said John, Bishop of Moray, and his successors, Bishops of the Church of Moray, shall render us, our heirs, and successors annually, one red rose on the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, at our Burgh of Inverness, if demanded, and the supplications of devotions only for the suits of court and for any other burden, exaction, question, demand, or secular service that may be required or demanded from the said barony and burgh. In witness whereof, we have commanded our great seal to be affixed to this present charter. Witnessed by the reverend Fathers in Christ - James and William, Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow; our dearest cousin George, Earl of Angus; William Lord Crichton, our chancellor and beloved cousin; our beloved cousins William Lord Somerville, Patrick Lord Glamis, Andrew Lord Gray; Masters John Arrous, Archdeacon of Glasgow, and George of Schoriswod, Rector of Cultyr, our clerk. At Edinburgh, on the fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and fifty-two, and of our reign the sixteenth.'' The lands detailed in the charter of the Barony of Spynie, including all diocesan clergy utilised property, in the order that they appear in the charter: • Kinneddar — (map ref. 1)

• Birnie — (map ref. 2)

• Rothernot (Rafford) — (map ref. 3)

• Ferness — (map ref. 4)

• Keith — (map ref. 5)
 * West and South of Inverness

• The two Kinmylies west of Inverness — (map ref. 6)

• The two Abriachins on west Loch Ness side — (map ref. 7)

• Boleskine on the east Loch ness side — (map ref. 8)

• Farr (Forthir) in upper Strathnairn — (map ref. 9)
 * Upper Strathspey

• Lands of the marsh of Strathspey — (map ref. 10)

• Lands of Rothiemurchas — (map ref. 11)

• Davoch of the Inch — (map ref. 12)

• Davoch of Logy Kenny — (map ref. 13) (included the lochs and fishings, the lands spread around Loch Laggan – near the Lordship of Lochaber border)
 * Mid Strathspey

• Half-davoch centered on Coulnakyle — (map ref. 14) (Nethy Bridge)

• Achmony — (map ref. 15) (This is listed out of place as it is in Glenurquhart, west of Loch Ness)

• Kirkmichael — (map ref. 16)

• Kinchurdy — (map ref. 17)

• Kincardin — (map ref. 18) (Kincardy)
 * Elgin Deanery

• Dallas — (map ref. 19)

• Essil — (map ref. 20)

• Dipple — (map ref. 21)

• Rothes — (map ref. 22)
 * Inverness Deanery

• Altre — (map ref. 23) (Kilmorack in Strathconon)

• Ord of Altre — (map ref. 24) (also known as Bishop's Ord)

• Kinnoir – unidentified, (possibly Kinnerras, Eskdale — but not the Kinnoir that is in Strathbogie)
 * Geographically diverse

• Kingussie — (map ref. 25)

• Inverallen — (map ref. 26) (Inuerelzem)

• Wardlaw — (map ref. 27) (Warlaw)

• Dyke — (map ref. 28) (Dyik)

• Dalarossie — (map ref. 29) (Dultargusy)

• Chapel of Rait — (map ref. 30)

• Port and fishing of the water of Lossie — (map ref. 31) (R. Lossy)

• Daviot — (map ref. 32) (Deveth)

• Artralze — (map ref. 33) (Ardtrillan ie, Alturlie)

• Croy — (map ref. 34)

• Moy — (map ref. 35)

• Duldavy — Unidentified (Duldawaugh, Duldauach – Innes suggests this may be Dunlichity )

• Barevan — (map ref. 36) (Ewan)

• Undist — unidentified

• Aberlour — (map ref. 37) (Abbirlour, Lochlin or Innerin)

• Botriphnie — (map ref. 38) (Butruthin)

• Arndilly — (map ref. 39) (Arthilldoill)

• Daugh of Kinermony — (map ref. 40) (Core of Kynnermonth – also written Kynnermond, Kynnermunth)

• Allachie — (map ref. 41) (Avochie, Avachy, Alachy – above Aberlour to the south)

• Kiltarlity — (map ref. 42) (Kyntallargyne)

• The Esse — (map ref. 43) (the falls of Kilmorack)

• Fishing of the water of Beauly — (map ref. 44) (R. Forne)

• Dunbennan — (map ref. 45) (Dumbannan)

• Ruthven — (map ref. 46)

• Botary — (map ref. 47)

• Drumdelgie — (map ref. 48)

• Rhynie — (map ref. 49) (Ryne)

• Inverkeithny — (map ref. 50) (Innerkeithny, Innerkethnie)

• Lands of Rothiemay — (map ref. 51) (Rothymay)

• Lands of Domus Dei — (map ref. 52) (Hospital, near Elgin)

• Drumreoch — (map ref. 53) (tenantry in the parish of Dyke)

Construction 1224–1270
The first church was markedly cruciform in shape and smaller than the present floor plan. This early structure had a choir without aisles and more truncated, and a nave with only a single aisle on its north and south sides (Fig. 4). The central tower rose above the crossing between the north and south transepts and may have held bells in its upper storey. The north wall of the choir is the earliest extant structure, dating to the years immediately after the church's 1224 foundation; the clerestory windows on top of it are from the later post-1270 reconstruction. This wall has blocked up windows extending to a low level above ground, indicating that it was an external wall and proving that the eastern limb then had no aisle (Fig. 5).

The south transept's southern wall is nearly complete, displaying the fine workmanship of the first phase. It shows the Gothic pointed arch style in the windows that first appeared in France in the mid-12th century and was apparent in England around 1170, but hardly appeared in Scotland until the early 13th century. It also shows the round early Norman window design that continued to be used in Scotland during the entire Gothic period (Fig. 6). The windows and the quoins are of finely cut ashlar sandstone. A doorway in the southwest portion of the wall has large mouldings and has a pointed oval window placed above it. Adjacent to the doorway are two lancet-arched windows that are topped at the clerestory level with three round-headed windows. The north transept has much less of its structure preserved, but much of what does remain, taken together with a study by John Slezer in 1693, shows that it was similar to the south transept, except that the north transept had no external door and featured a stone turret containing a staircase.

The west front has two 13th century buttressed towers 27.4 m high that were originally topped with wooden spires covered in protective lead. Although the difference between the construction of the base course and the transepts suggests that the towers were not part of the initial design, it is likely that the building process was not so far advanced that the masons could fully integrate the nave and towers into each other (Fig. 7).

Enlargement and reconstruction after 1270
After the fire of 1270, a programme of reconstruction was launched, with repairs and a major enlargement. Outer aisles were added to the nave, the eastern wing comprising the choir and presbytery was doubled in length and had aisles provided on its north and south sides, and the octagonal chapter house was built off the new north choir aisle (Figs. 8 & 9). The new northern and southern aisles ran the length of the choir, past the first bay of the presbytery, and contained recessed and chest tombs. The south aisle of the choir contained the tomb of bishop John of Winchester, suggesting a completion date for the reconstructed aisle between 1435 and 1460 (Fig. 10). Chapels were added to the new outer aisles of the nave and were partitioned from each other with wooden screens. The first bay at the west end of each of these aisles and adjacent to the western towers did not contain a chapel but instead had an access door for the laity.

In June 1390, Alexander Stewart, Robert III's brother, burned the cathedral, manses and burgh of Elgin. This fire was very destructive, requiring the central tower to be completely rebuilt along with the principal arcades of the nave. The entire western gable between the towers was reconstructed and the main west doorway and chapter house were refashioned. The internal stonework of the entrance is late 14th or early 15th century and is intricately carved with branches, vines, acorns and oak leaves. A large pointed arch opening in the gable immediately above the main door contained a series of windows, the uppermost of which was a circular or rose window dating from between 1422 and 1435. Just above it can be seen three coats of arms: on the right is that of the bishopric of Moray, in the middle are the Royal Arms of Scotland, and on the left is the armorial shield of Bishop Columba Dunbar (Fig. 11). The walls of the nave are now very low or even at foundation level, except one section in the south wall which is near its original height. This section has windows that appear to have been built in the 15th century to replace the 13th-century openings: they may have been constructed following the 1390 attack (Fig. 12). Nothing of the elevated structure of the nave remains, but its appearance can be deduced from the scarring seen where it attached to the eastern walls of the towers. Nothing of the crossing now remains following the collapse of the central tower in 1711. Elgin Cathedral is unique in Scotland in having an English-style octagonal chapter house and French-influenced double aisles along each side of the nave; in England, only Chichester Cathedral has similar aisles. The chapter house, which had been attached to the choir through a short vaulted vestry, required substantial modifications and was now provided with a vaulted roof supported by a single pillar (Figs. 13 & 14). The chapter house measures 10.3 m high at its apex and 11.3 m from wall to opposite wall; it was substantially rebuilt by Bishop Andrew Stewart (1482–1501), whose coat of arms is placed on the central pillar. Bishop Andrew was the half-brother of King James II. The delay in the completion of these repairs until this bishop's episcopacy demonstrates the extent of the damage from the 1390 attack.

19th and 20th century stabilisation
In 1847–8 several of the old houses associated with the cathedral on the west side were demolished, and some minor changes were made to the boundary wall. Structural reinforcement of the ruin and some reconstruction work began in the early 20th century, including restoration of the east gable rose window in 1904 and the replacement of the missing form pieces, mullions, and decorative ribs in the window in the north-east wall of the chapter house (Fig. 15). By 1913, repointing the walls and additional waterproofing of the wall tops were completed. In 1924 the ground level was lowered and the 17th-century tomb of the Earl of Huntly was repositioned. Further repairs and restoration ensued during the 1930s, including the partial dismantling of some 19th century buttressing (Fig. 16), the reconstruction of sections of the nave piers using recovered pieces (Fig. 17), and the addition of external roofing to the vault in the south choir in 1939 (Fig. 18). From 1960 to 2000, masons restored the cathedral's crumbling stonework (Fig. 19) and between 1976 and 1988, the window tracery of the chapter house was gradually replaced, and its re-roofing was completed (Fig. 20). Floors, glazing, and a new roof were added to the southwest tower between 1988 and 1998 and comparable restoration work was completed on the northwest tower between 1998 and 2000 (Fig. 21).

Burials

 * Andrew de Moravia – buried in the south side of the choir under a large blue marble stone
 * David de Moravia – buried in the choir
 * William de Spynie – buried in the choir
 * Andrew Stewart (d. 1501)
 * Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly
 * Columba de Dunbar (c. 1386 – 1435) was Bishop of Moray from 1422 until his death
 * George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon and his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard

title: Elgin Cathedral


text:
503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion

The 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion (schwere Panzerabteilung 503; abbreviated: "s.Pz.Abt. 503") was a German heavy Panzer Abteilung (independent battalion-sized unit) equipped with Tiger I and Panzer III tanks. In 1944, it was re-equipped with the new Tiger II. The battalion saw action on the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. As with other German heavy tank battalions, it was normally not assigned to a single corps, but shuffled around according to war circumstances. Later the battalion became part of the newly formed Panzer Corps Feldherrnhalle as the Feldherrnhalle Heavy Tank Battalion.

World War II
The unit was created on May 4, 1942. The unit consisted of 45 Tiger Is on May 10, 1943. In the aftermath of the Battle of Stalingrad, the battalion was deployed to Army Group Don and arrived at the front on January 1, 1943. The battalion, along with several divisions of the 4th Panzer Army, was tasked with securing the withdrawal of Army Group A; it then retreated to Rostov. On February 11, 1943, the unit was transferred to Kharkov. It took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov and the Operation Citadel in 1943. Four days before the start of Citadel, the battalion reported that 42 of their 45 Tiger tanks were operational. The unit lost three Tigers during the operation and five more during the subsequent retreat.

In January 1944, the battalion, together with a panzer regiment and infantry units, formed Panzer Regiment Bäke. The regiment was part of the relief force, which tried to unsuccessfully break through to encircled forces in the Battle of the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket. The battalion was then trapped in the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. In late April 1944, the regiment was dissolved and sent West for refitting and equipped with 45 new Tiger IIs.

In Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, the unit was transferred to the command of 5th Panzer Army. On the launch of Operation Goodwood, the 3rd company, which was based in Cagny, Calvados, was destroyed in the preliminary Allied bombing, with impacts powerful enough to turn a 56-ton Tiger upside down. Only one Tiger was operational at the end of the day. During the first day of Goodwood, the unit reported the loss of thirteen tanks. At the end of July, the 3rd company received new Tiger II tanks, which were subsequently destroyed in the Allied aerial attacks, with only two brought back to Germany. In October 1944, the refitted 503rd took part in the Battle of Debrecen. In early-November, the battalion provided a mobile reserve for the 6th Army (Wehrmacht), re-designated as Army Group Hermann Balck. By mid-December, the German forces had been pushed back to Budapest. In January 1945, the unit took part in several failed attempts to relieve Budapest, code-named Operation Konrad. Though the 17-24 of February, the 503rd took part in one of the last successful German offensives of the war, Operation Südwind (G:Southwind).

Commanders

 * ??? Post (May 1942 - 28 January 1943)
 * Erich Hoheisel (28 January 1943 – May 1943)
 * Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck (July 1943 – 30 January 1944)
 * Rolf Fromme (February 1944 – December 1944)
 * Nordwin von Diest-Körber (December 1944 – February 1945)
 * Fritt Herzig (February 1945 – May 1945)

title: 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion


text:
User talk:Chris2213

does any one know when Edwin Brock wrote five ways to kill a man if so plz let me know

title: User talk:Chris2213


text:
Ireland cricket team

The Ireland men's cricket team represents all of Ireland in international cricket. The Irish Cricket Union, operating under the brand Cricket Ireland, is the sport's governing body in Ireland, and they organise the international team. The team have a number of home grounds, including Malahide in County Dublin, Stormont, Belfast, Bready in the north-west and Clontarf in Dublin city. A further ground is planned for the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, Dublin for 2030. Due to the short season allowed by the Irish climate, and lack of large scale facilities, Ireland also occasionally play 'home matches' in venues in England and further abroad.

Ireland's men participate in all three major forms of the international game: Test, One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. They are the 11th Full Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the second Full Member from Europe, having been awarded Test status, along with Afghanistan, on 22 June 2017. Ireland and Afghanistan are the most recently appointed Test-playing nations.

Modern Cricket was introduced to Ireland in the 19th century, though the sport may have partly evolved from earlier Gaelic games invented in Ireland. The first match played by an Ireland team was in 1855. Ireland toured Canada and the United States in the late 19th century, and occasionally hosted matches against touring sides. Ireland's most significant early international rivalry, with the Scotland national cricket team, was established when the teams first played each other in 1888. Ireland's maiden first-class match was played in 1902.

Ireland were elected to Associate membership of the ICC in 1993, but played their first full ODI in 2006 against England in the build-up to the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, their first successful qualification. At that tournament, a series of eye-catching results against Full Members, including a draw against Zimbabwe, and wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh confirmed Ireland's ODI status after the competition. Since then, they have gone on to play 197 ODIs, resulting in 78 victories, 101 defeats, 15 no results, and 3 ties. Contracts for players were introduced in 2009, marking the transition to becoming a professional team.

Further success in the shortest format meant the Ireland team also qualified for the 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2024 World Twenty20 competitions, and have qualified for the future 2026 T20 World Cup by ICC men's T20 world rankings.

Before attaining Test status, Ireland also played first-class international cricket in the ICC Intercontinental Cup, which they have won four times between 2005 and 2013. Due to their successes in the first-class ICC Intercontinental Cup competition, and further high-profile wins at the World Cups of 2011 (against England) and 2015 (against West Indies and Zimbabwe), they were labelled the "leading Associate" and stated their intention to become a full member by 2020. This intention was realised in June 2017, when the ICC unanimously decided to award Ireland and Afghanistan Full Member status, which allows them to participate in Test matches. Ireland's first test was a home fixture at The Village, Malahide between 11-15 May 2018 against Pakistan, and they have played tests somewhat sporadically since. Their first test victory was against fellow new boys Afghanistan in Sharjah on 12 March 2024.

Ireland remain the only test playing nation, where the women's team have played a test match before the men's team. Ireland was a women's test nation seventeen years before the men, playing their only test also against Pakistan.

Early history
The first mention of modern cricket in Ireland was in 1731 when the Military of Ireland and the Gentlemen of Ireland took each other on in the Phoenix Park, where the game still thrives in one of the world's oldest established cricket clubs. However, the origins of Cricket may, in fact, have come from Ireland, via the ancient Gaelic game of 'Katty', a precursor to the modern game of Rounders in Ireland. Katty was exported around the world by Irishmen serving in the British Army and the game was adopted as both a training and recreational activity by British Army soldiers. The evolution of Katty in the empire is reflected in the use of anglicised Gaelic terms such as crioc, crios, bail, googly, still used in cricket as we know it today.

Modern Cricket was introduced to Ireland by the English in the towns of Kilkenny and Ballinasloe in the early 19th century. In the 1830s, the game began to spread; many of the clubs which were founded in the following 30 years are still in existence today. The first Irish national team played in 1855 against The Gentlemen of England in Dublin. In the 1850s, the Englishman Charles Lawrence was responsible for developing the game in Ireland through his coaching. In the 1850s and 1860s, Ireland was visited for the first time by touring professional teams. Ireland's first match against Marylebone Cricket Club (the M.C.C.) was in 1858.

Cricket had flourished throughout the Ireland until the early 1880s. However, the Irish Land War, the Gaelic Revival cultural movement and its offshoot the Gaelic Athletic Association, founded in 1884, began to challenge the popularity of cricket. There were widespread calls to establish a national cricketing union in Ireland the 1870s to oversee the sport but landlords who owned the estates on which cricket was predominantly played declined to do so, many believing the game would distract their tenant farmers from working and thus impact the estates' income at a time when the land war was already depleting landlords wealth. One of those to call for a formal body to organise cricket was Michael Cusack, later the founder of the GAA. Cusack, was a keen cricketer, later tried to organise cricket under the umbrella of the newly formed Gaelic Athletic Association. His motion, however, lost out narrowly. Consequently, in 1902 cricket fell under the GAA's newly introduced Law 27 banning its members from playing "foreign", in practice, British, games. Until the ban was lifted in 1970, anyone playing foreign games, such as cricket or association football, was banned from the membership of the GAA, the organisation responsible for games such as hurling, Gaelic football, rounders, and Gaelic handball. Though an Irish Cricket union was set up in 1923 some clubs refused to recognise it, it was only in 2001 that Cricket Ireland became the official oversight body for cricket in Ireland recognised by all cricket clubs in the country.

Thereafter Cricket in Ireland declined in popularity, especially in the era after the land war as the sport became associated with being a "garrison game" of the British Army. Participation became increasingly restricted to Catholic and Protestant public schools, the Anglo-Irish population, and unionists. Irish teams toured Canada and the US in 1879, 1888, 1892, and 1909. On top of this, Ireland defeated a touring South African side in 1904. Their first match with first-class status was played on 19 May 1902 against a London County side including W.G. Grace. The Irish, captained by Sir Tim O'Brien, won convincingly by 238 runs. An Irish Cricket union was eventually set up in 1923 but some clubs refused to recognise its legitimacy. It was only in 2001 that Cricket Ireland became the official oversight body for cricket in Ireland recognised by all cricket clubs on the island.

Before 1993
After the 1902 tour of England, where four matches yielded one win, two draws and one loss, Ireland did not play first-class cricket again for five years. Although the team had lost to the South Africans in 1894 – Ireland's first match against a Test-playing nation – Ireland defeated South Africa in 1904; it was the team's first victory against a Test side. In 1909, the first annual first-class match between Ireland and Scotland was held, and an annual match against the MCC was arranged from 1924 onwards.

The Irish played yearly first-class matches with the Scots, only interrupted by world wars, until 1999, but all their other cricket depended upon touring international sides finding it convenient to include a visit to Ireland in their schedules. However, Ireland sometimes surprised Test nations on these occasions, beating the West Indies by 60 runs in a three-day match in Dublin in 1928, for example; it was Ireland's first match against the West Indies. In 1969, in a match played at Sion Mills in County Tyrone, the team defeated a West Indian side including Clive Lloyd and Clyde Walcott by nine wickets, after bowling them out for 25. This was the last time Ireland defeated a touring side until 2003, when they beat Zimbabwe by ten wickets.

The Scots and the Irish were mostly competing with Sri Lanka for the title as the best non-Test nation at the time – indeed, Ireland drew with Sri Lanka in a rain-hit first-class match in 1979, Ireland scoring a total of 341 for 7 in two innings, while Sri Lanka made 288 for 6 in one innings. Ireland, along with Scotland and the Netherlands, has at times played in competitions for English county cricket sides, including the Benson & Hedges Cup and the Friends Provident Trophy (previously the C&G Trophy). Since there is no nationality restriction in county cricket, non-Irish people were allowed to compete for Ireland in these matches. For example, Hansie Cronje of South Africa played for Ireland in 1997, as did New Zealander Jesse Ryder in 2007.

Associate Member (1993–2007)
Ireland joined the ICC as an Associate Member in 1993, a year before Scotland. This meant Ireland could play in the ICC Trophy for the first time in 1994, and they finished seventh in the tournament. Three years later they progressed to the semi-finals of the competition but lost the third place play-off with Scotland, thus missing a place at the 1999 cricket World Cup. Ireland finished eighth in the 2001 tournament. After this, Adrian Birrell was hired as coach.

With the introduction of the ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, Ireland had a chance to play first-class on a regular basis. After failing to progress beyond the group stages in the 2004 competition, Ireland won their first Cup title in October 2005 with a six-wicket win over Kenya. The 2005 ICC Trophy, which was hosted in Ireland – the group stages in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the final stages in Dublin, Republic of Ireland – saw the Irish make the final, which they lost to Scotland. Though Ireland were runners-up, they had secured their place at the 2007 World Cup as well as an extra $500,000 over the next four years from the ICC to encourage development of Irish cricket. They also gained official ODI status.

Ireland's inaugural ODI was played in front of a full house of 7,500 spectators at Stormont, Belfast, on 13 June 2006 against England. It was the first time Ireland had played the full England side. Though Ireland lost by 38 runs, they were praised by Andrew Strauss, England's stand-in captain.

August saw them participate in Division One of the European Championship, against Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Scotland. The games against the Netherlands and Scotland had ODI status. In the tournament, and what was the team's second ODI, Ireland recorded their first ODI win, beating fellow Associates Scotland by 85 runs after man-of-the-match Eoin Morgan made 99. Although the match against the Netherlands was a no-result, Ireland won the European Championship title. Ireland's second Intercontinental Cup title came in the 2006–2007 competition. They faced Canada in the final and won by an innings and 115 runs, the four-day match concluding within two days. This made Ireland the first team to successfully defend the Continental Cup.

For the 2006 season, the C&G Trophy was reorganised to include a round-robin stage instead of being entirely knock-out. Whereas Ireland had only one match guaranteed in the tournament before, they now had more fixtures against English county sides. Ireland recorded one win in their nine matches. Ireland participated in the competition until it was restructured again in 2009. In that time they played 25 matches and won two. The latter of those victories was against Worcestershire; in that match Ireland bowled Worcestershire out for 58, which was their lowest ever one-day total. It was the first time that Ireland had bowled out a county for less than 100. Ireland were invited to participate in the reformatted competition from 2010 onwards, but chose not to do so, and instead focused their limited financial resources on international cricket.

One-Day International status without test status (2007–2016)
At the start of 2007, Ireland saw more than three months of almost constant cricket. First was a visit to Kenya, where they took part in Division One of the ICC World Cricket League. They finished fifth in the league after four narrow defeats, and Kenya won the league. Before the World Cup, the team participated in a high-performance camp in South Africa. Ireland's performance in their inaugural World Cup in the 2007 Cricket World Cup took many pundits by surprise. In their first game, on 15 March, they tied with Zimbabwe, primarily thanks to Ireland's first ever World Cup century by man-of-the-match Jeremy Bray and economical bowling in the final overs by Trent Johnston and Andre Botha. In their second match, played on Saint Patrick's Day, they beat the fourth-ranked team in the world, Pakistan, by three wickets, thus knocking Pakistan out of the competition.

These two results were enough to advance Ireland to the Super 8 stage of the tournament. In their final group stage game, the West Indies beat them by eight wickets. In the Super 8 stage, they lost their five matches against England, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Sri Lanka, but recorded a 74-run victory against Test playing nation Bangladesh, the 9th ranked team in the world. The team received a heroes' welcome in Dublin.

After the World Cup, former West Indies cricketer Phil Simmons took over the role of coach from Birrell. India were scheduled to play South Africa in a series of One Day Internationals in Ireland in June 2007. Ireland also played one-off matches at Stormont against the two teams. Missing several players from their World Cup squad, Ireland lost both games. Ireland hosted a quadrangular tournament in Dublin and Belfast in July involving the West Indies, the Netherlands, and Scotland. Ireland and the West Indies both won their games against Scotland and the Netherlands with their direct encounter ending in no result due to rain. The West Indies won the tournament because of a bonus point won against the Netherlands. Trent Johnston stepped down as captain and was replaced by William Porterfield in March 2008.

The 2007–08 ICC Intercontinental Cup began in June, with Ireland playing their first match in August. In November 2008, the team's campaign ended. After finishing second in the round-robin stage of the competition, Ireland faced Namibia in the final. Ireland won by nine wickets, securing their third consecutive Intercontinental Cup title. In March 2008 Ireland toured Bangladesh, playing three ODIs against the hosts and losing all of them. In July, Ireland played a tri-series against New Zealand and Scotland in Aberdeen but lost both matches.

Reigning champions Ireland hosted the European Cricket Championship (Division One) in late July and they won their third European title, winning every match, including the decisive encounter against Scotland by seven wickets. In early August, Ireland hosted five other Associate nations at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Belfast; this was Ireland's Twenty20 International debut. Ireland would have faced the Netherlands in the final, however the match was rained off and the teams shared the trophy. By getting to the final of the tournament, Ireland qualified for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 in England in June 2009. Later in August, Ireland were due to play three ODIs at home against Kenya. Ireland won the first game, the second game could not be finished due to rain and the last match was completely washed out. In October, the team visited Kenya for a tri-series of ODIs with the hosts and Zimbabwe. Only two of Ireland's four games in the round-robin stage could be played, the others were rained off. Ireland lost their first match to Zimbabwe, but won their second against Kenya, though they failed to qualify for the final.

In the run-up to the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, Ireland were deprived of batsman Eoin Morgan, similarly to Ed Joyce several years earlier, who was selected to play for England, making him ineligible to play for Ireland again. Ireland played their first Twenty20 International against a full ICC member side on 8 June 2009 and in their opening match of the tournament defeated Bangladesh by four wickets and knocked them out of the tournament. Ireland progressed to the second stage of the competition. They were grouped with New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and lost all three of their matches. In 2009, Ireland played nine ODIs, winning the seven they played against Associate nations, losing their only match against a Test team (England), and one match was abandoned.

Ireland played 17 One Day Internationals in 2010, winning 11 (including a victory over Bangladesh) and losing six. Ireland were knocked out of the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, hosted by South Africa in April and May, after being beaten by the West Indies and a washed out match against England.

The 2011 Cricket World Cup was held between February and March and hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Though Ireland did not progress beyond the first round they secured a historic victory against England. Ireland beat England by 3 wickets with Kevin O'Brien hitting the fastest century in World Cup history, managing the feat in just 50 balls. In passing England's total of 327 for victory, Ireland broke the record for the highest successful run chase in the World Cup.

Shortly after the tournament ended, the ICC announced that the World Cups in 2015 and 2019 would contain ten teams; the Associate countries, who were most likely to miss out in a tournament with fewer teams strongly objected, and, led by Ireland, urged the ICC to reconsider. In June the decision was reversed. After the World Cup Ireland played Pakistan, England, and Scotland in ODIs but lost each match. A further ODI against Sri Lanka was rained off. In all, Ireland played 12 ODIs in 2011, winning four.

Ireland qualified for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, and were promoted to the ICC ODI Championship, leaving the World Cricket League, but not the ICC Intercontinental Cup. In their first match of the World Cup, Ireland defeated the West Indies by 4 wickets, chasing down 304 runs with 25 balls to spare.

In their second match they beat the United Arab Emirates by two wickets with four balls to spare; the target was 279. Out of only five successful World Cup chases of 300 runs or more, Ireland have provided three.

In July 2016, Ireland played in its first five-match ODI series against Afghanistan which ended 2–2 with the first ODI being washed out. In September, Ireland toured South Africa for a one match ODI series against Australia and the hosts but lost both games. At the ICC's board meeting in October, Ireland was awarded first-class status for its domestic competition, the Inter-Provincial Championship. In May 2017, Ireland travelled to England to play a two-match ODI series for the first time, though they ended up losing both games.

Test status (2017–present)
In January 2012 Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom publicly declared Ireland's ambition to play Test cricket by 2020. Their desire to achieve Test status was in part to stem the tide of Irish players using residency rules to switch to England for the opportunity to play Test cricket. Deutrom outlined the ambition as he unveiled the new strategic plan for Irish cricket to 2015. The plan set out a series of stretching goals including increasing the number of participants in the game to 50,000, setting a target of reaching 8th in the World rankings, establishing a domestic first-class cricket structure, and reinforcing cricket as the fifth most popular team sport in Ireland.

Deutrom had already sent a letter to the ICC in 2009 stating his board's intention to apply for Full Membership – a potential pathway to Test cricket – and to seek clarification on the process. Former Australian bowler Jason Gillespie said that if Ireland got Test status it "would be huge news in world cricket, and it would be a massive positive story for the world game". Following Ireland's victory over the West Indies in the 2015 Cricket World Cup, former fast bowler Michael Holding said that the International Cricket Council should grant Ireland Test status immediately, saying "they need to be recognised now". The ICC said in 2015 that Ireland would be granted Test status in 2019 should they win the 2015–17 ICC Intercontinental Cup and beat the 10th ranked Test nation in a four-match Test series in 2018.

However, on 22 June 2017, after more than a decade of playing top-class international cricket, full ICC membership was granted to Ireland (along with Afghanistan) at an ICC meeting in London, thus making them the eleventh Test cricket team. In October 2017, the ICC announced that Ireland's first Test match would be at home against Pakistan in May 2018. Ireland played their first 'touring' Test in India in March 2019 against fellow newcomers Afghanistan, where they lost by 7 wickets. This was followed by a four-day Test match against England at Lord's in July 2019. According to the ICC Future Tours Programme for 2019–23, Ireland are scheduled to play sixteen Tests, but along with Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, are not included in the first two editions of the ICC World Test Championship.

Ireland played England in a four-day Test match at Lord's in July 2019:

In October 2019, Andrew Balbirnie was appointed Test and ODI captain and one month later, in November he also took over the captaincy of T20I from Gary Wilson, thus becoming all format captain for Ireland.

On 16 January 2022, Ireland claimed their first away ODI series win over a fellow Test nation by beating the West Indies by two wickets at Sabina Park in Jamaica. On 31 March 2023, Ireland claimed their first win against Bangladesh on Bangladeshi soil in the third match of their T20 three match series. Ireland achieved their first-ever series win in Zimbabwe, after winning a three-match series 2-1 in December 2023. The following week they followed up their T20 success with a 2-0 one-day international series victory, which was their first ODI series win in Zimbabwe.

After losing their first seven tests, on 1 March 2024 Ireland won their first test defeating Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi by six wickets.

A couple months after their first test victory, Ireland secured their first T20 victory over Pakistan in two attempts, winning by five wickets with one ball remaining.

Governing body
The Irish Cricket Union (ICU) – the governing body of Irish cricket – was officially founded in 1923, although its predecessor had been active since 1890. In common with a number of other Ireland sporting governing bodies, the Union was formed to represent cricket throughout the island of Ireland, rather than just the Republic of Ireland. In common with its counterparts for rugby union, rugby league and field hockey, the Union therefore does not use the Irish tricolor, but instead employs its own flag, which is used by such bodies as the International Cricket Council to represent the team and in ICC tournaments; "Ireland's Call" is used as the national anthem.

In 2007, the ICU announced major changes to bring it into line with the main cricket governing bodies. After the World Cup, Irish cricket had poor results in the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy, as many players were unavailable. The Irish cricket team was an amateur side and most of the players had full-time jobs with commitments conflicting with cricket.

Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of the ICU, has stated that it wants to "seek actively to place Irish players into top-level cricket, by developing relationships with [especially] county cricket which will incorporate appropriate player release for Irish international duty, and feeder systems for developing Irish cricketers". The reorganised ICU sought closer links with the English county teams, to encourage the development of age group cricket, and to introduce a professional element into the Irish game. They also want to take the Ireland cricket team on winter tours more often.

In an attempt to prevent the game losing players to counties or other commitments such as jobs, it was suggested that central contracts should be introduced. This was done in June 2009, with the first two going to Trent Johnston and Alex Cusack. The number of full-time contracts was expanded to six in January 2010 with support for a further nine players; the contracts were split into three categories. In January 2012 the number of contracts was increased to 23, and coach Phil Simmons highlighted the process of becoming professional as an important factor in the team's success.

Team colours
In Test matches, Ireland wears cricket whites, with the optional sweater or vest with a green v-neck with the Cricket Ireland logo on the centre. The shirts feature the Cricket Ireland logo on the right breast, the manufacturer logo on the sleeve and the sponsor logo on the left breast. The fielders wear a navy blue cricket cap or a white sunhat with the Cricket Ireland logo. The batsman helmets are coloured similarly.

In limited-overs cricket, Ireland wears an emerald green (in ODI) or lawn green (in T20) uniform with dark blue and white accents and feature the Cricket Ireland logo on the right breast, the sponsor logo on the centre and the manufacturer logo on the left breast. The fielders wear a dark blue baseball-style cap or sunhat.

Dark blue, sometimes referred to as 'presidential blue', taken from both the Irish Presidential seal and the Irish quarter of the British Royal coat of arms, is historically considered a secondary national colour of Ireland, and frequently appears along with green on the kit of all-island teams e.g. hockey and rugby union.

In ICC-regulated tournaments, the sponsor logo goes to the non-leading arm sleeve, making space for the inscription "IRELAND" written in white, on the centre section of the shirt.

The current kit supplier is Macron, who signed a four-year deal in April 2023.

Other tournaments
‡ Only the matches between Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands in the 2006 tournament have official ODI status.

Current squad
This lists all the active players who have played for Ireland in the past year (since 1 June 2023) and the forms in which they have played, or any players (in italics) outside this criterion who have been selected in the team's most recent squad. In addition, it includes all players contracted by Cricket Ireland in March 2023.

Key
 * S/N = Shirt number
 * C/G = Contract grade
 * F/T = Full-time contract
 * C = Casual contract
 * E = Education contract

Coaching history

 * 1995–1999: 🏴 Mike Hendrick
 * 1999–2001: Ken Rutherford
 * 2002–2007: Adrian Birrell
 * 2007–2015: Phil Simmons
 * 2015–2017: 🇳🇿 John Bracewell
 * 2017–2021: Graham Ford
 * 2021–2022: 🏴 David Ripley (interim)
 * 2022–present: Heinrich Malan

Records
International match summary – Ireland

Last updated 16 June 2024.

Test matches

 * Highest team score: 492 v. Sri Lanka, 24 April at Galle International Stadium, Galle.
 * Best innings bowling: 6/118, Andy McBrine v. Bangladesh on 4 April 2023 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet.
 * Record individual score: 118, Kevin O'Brien v. Pakistan on 11 May 2018 at The Village, Malahide.

Most Test runs for Ireland

Most Test wickets for Ireland

 * Bold – still playing for Ireland

Test record versus other nations ''Records complete to Test #2532. Last updated 1 March 2024.''

One-Day Internationals

 * Highest team score: 359/9 v. New Zealand, 15 July 2022 at Malahide, Dublin.
 * Best innings bowling: 6/55, Paul Stirling v. Afghanistan on 17 March 2017 at Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, Greater Noida.
 * Record partnership score: 227 by William Porterfield & Kevin O'Brien v. Kenya, Nairobi, 2 February 2007

Most ODI runs for Ireland

Most ODI wickets for Ireland

Highest ODI scores for Ireland
 * Bold – still playing for Ireland

ODI record versus other nations

''Records complete to ODI #4742. Last updated 12 March 2024.''

Twenty20 Internationals

 * Highest team score: 226/4 v. Austria, 23 July 2023 at The Grange Club, Edingburgh
 * Best innings bowling: 4/11, Alex Cusack v. West Indies, 21 February 2014 at Sabina Park, Jamaica

Most T20I runs for Ireland

Most T20I wickets for Ireland

Highest T20I scores for Ireland

 * Bold – still playing for Ireland

T20I record versus other nations

''Records complete to T20I #2697. Last updated 16 June 2024.''

First-class

 * Highest team total: 589/7 declared v. UAE, 13 March 2013, ICC Intercontinental Cup match at Sharjah, UAE

Most first-class runs

Most first-class wickets

Highest individual innings Note: Ivan Anderson's 198* v. Canada was in a non-first-class match

title: Ireland cricket team