The Irish Army is far from the biggest or most powerful military force but it does stand alone in one field. It is the last army to retain a full time Army Equitation School.
The school, based in McKee Barracks in Dublin, was established 100 years ago, in the early years of the Irish Free State.
Officer Commanding, Lieutenant Colonel Sharon Crean, the first woman to serve in that post, said "the school very much, is aligned with the development of the nation, and then, more specifically, with the Defence Forces and the development of professional sport, of horse sport in this country, and the equitation school has been at the forefront of all of that".
The Lieutenant Colonel was speaking to RTÉ News at a centenary celebration ceremony at McKee Barracks where the Minister for Defence presented specially commissioned coins to past and serving members of the school.
Minister Helen McEntee paid tribute to the contribution of the school: "We have for 100 years competed at the highest level possible in world class competitions and continue to excel in that regard. Of course, our Defense Force personnel represent us abroad in many different ways, and this is just another really important reflection of who we are, and the horse is a very important symbol in that regard."
The Army Equitation School has always used only Irish bred horses as part of a commitment to promote Irish sport horses.
Lieutenant Colonel Crean said that is part of the school's mission.
"One of the reasons to found the school was to promote the Irish horse, and that was important for Ireland at the time.
"It was back in the 20s, it was mainly an agricultural nation, and while its got a much larger economy now, it is still a very important endeavor, and that we provide that unique selling point for them.
"There's no question, when you see an Irish Army rider on a horse at a competition, that that horse is bred in Ireland, and everything that it's representing is clear to see by that image."
The school has also developed and inspired Irish elite event riders who have competed at the Aga Khan and Nations Cups and the Olympics.
Commandant Geoff Curran has represented Ireland at the Olympics and is the Chief Riding Officer at the school.
"It's the army training, and it's wearing the uniform. It raises you to another level, really. And it's the tradition and the history that does that. So, it's a huge privilege to have competed for the defense forces and for the Army Equitation School."
Also at the ceremony was the youngest Riding Officer at the school, Lieutenant Erin Crawford.
She says, like many Irish youngsters, she was inspired by seeing Irish Army riders in competition.
"I came up through the pony ranks myself when I was younger, and it was one show in particular, Mill Street. I saw the Army Equitation School competing there, and that was kind of the moment I knew, yeah, I'd like to do that, because they're just so inspirational."
One of the former members of the school at the ceremony was Gerry Mullins.
His stellar career saw him representing Ireland at the Olympics and other competitions and he is a former Officer Commading of the school.
He is encouraged to by the standard of the riders currently representing the school saying "there are very good people in there".
He says the environment the school is competing in is getting ever more competitive.
"I think it needs some help with regard to finance, from coming from maybe even private sources and sponsorship forces sources. I think that has to be maybe some of the way forward, and because the budgets in all sports have gone up, but ours has stayed relatively static."
Lieutenant Colonel Crean says she is confident the school can continue to represent Ireland at the highest level.
"We have a really good team that we have working in the school right now, and I have complete faith in their ability to do both right by our proud history, and its got us to this 100 years, and to bring it forward, stay relevant in what is a very fast paced professional modern sport of Show Jumping and eventing in this country and on the global stage."
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