Islamic incursions into Europe, during the late Ottoman era and into the early 1800s, are well documented in history. However, what is less know is how Irish America is tied to the American confrontation with the Barbary pirates, embodied by Irish American Presley O’Bannon.

In today’s world, forgetting what our ancestors fought to defend comes at a cost. It dulls our ability to recognize similar patterns, and erodes the cultural foundation necessary to defend our homes.

From the early 16th century all the way through the 19th century (a little over 300 years), a large percentage of Europe was facing threats from Barbary Pirates (Muslim corsairs). Being from the Barbary States, these deviant warriors had plenty of access to the southern European territories, where they would wreak havoc on the populations that inhabited these lands. The list of atrocities they would routinely commit would make anyone’s stomach turn, such as: seizing vital European cargo; capturing thousands of European Christians; forcing them in to the North African slave trade; keeping thousands of Christian women as sex slaves; holding Christians for ransom; and the list goes on. Their intentions were to slowly conquer Europe and forcibly convert it to Islam.

After hundreds of years of these incursions from the Barbary pirates, Europeans began to fight back. With minor victories against the pirates, America would then enter the scene in 1801. The ruler of Tripoli (Barbary state) declared war on the United States in 1801 after President Jefferson rejected increased payments from the pirates. These payments were to act as tribute in exchange for safe passage for US merchant ships in the Mediterranean. In 1803, the USS Philadelphia found itself grounded on the shores of Tripoli. The American vessel had washed ashore during a storm, and the crew was then imprisoned by the pirates and held for ransom. This marks the escalation of the war, where the United States would confront the Barbary powers through military might rather than through appeasement.

After sending the US Navy on different combat missions against the pirates over the course of 2 years, the major victory was yet to come. In early March of 1805, a mixed force of around 400 men set their sights on Derna (city in Tripoli). Around 40 Greek mercenaries, 25 European artillerists, 90 men under Hamet Karamanli, 190 camels and their drivers, an Arab calvary of minimal numbers, and 8 US Marines commanded by First Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon were set for the mission. Starting in March of 1805, this unit of soldiers trekked across 500 miles of the North African desert to Derna. Arriving on April 25th, US naval agent William Eaton sent a letter to the Governor of Derna, Mustafa Bey, suggesting that he surrender control of Derna despite the American/European troops being vastly outnumbered. Mustafa Bey responded back with, “My head or yours”.

The terms had been established.

With help from the Naval vessels at the sea, O’Bannon and his soldiers took on the pirates in ground combat, seizing territory in a swift manner. Within 45 minutes, they had neutralized all enemy artillery. Within two-and-a-half hours, all of Derna had been taken. The Islamic pirates were no match for the determined group of American & European fighters who had decided they would no longer tolerate Islamic expansion into their Christian nations. Irish American O’Bannon had led the fight that ultimately solidified the creation of the US Marine Corps, one of the most elite fighting units in all of the World. Irish Americans have always been known for their tenacity & courage, with the most Medal of Honor recipients of any other American demographic. Furthermore, First Lieutenant O’Bannon was a real-life embodiment of that stereotype.

Barbary Pirates were only a section of the Islamic invasion Christian nations experienced. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Greece, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Iceland, United Kingdom, Georgia, Armenia, Slovakia, and Austria were all invaded by Islamic extremists at some point in their country’s history. On the contrary, for most of American history Islamist forces were not a primary adversary, due to America being geographically removed from these civilizational fault lines.

But we’re beginning to now witness another civilizational clash, between Christian Europeans and Islamist hordes via mass immigration. Across Western countries, politicians are becoming more and more accepting of the same religion that fought tooth-n-nail to conquer Europe. Under false notions that Muslim immigrates are compatible within our societies, we see the leaders of France, Germany, and now Ireland, open the floodgates to mass immigration.

On current pace of immigration trends, there will be more Muslims living in Ireland compared to those living in Gaeltacht areas within 5-10 years. An Ireland full of Mosques and burqas is not an Ireland that Irish America recognizes as authentically Irish, and should oppose fervently. People across the West are deeply longing for the homogeneous cultures they had 20 years ago. Politicians attempt to gaslit us, saying our histories and societies have always been accepting others: those who have different gods, and fundamentally different civilizations.

Nothing could be further than the truth.

Written by Fletcher

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