County Carlow Officers of the Irish Legion 1803-15 - Jeremiah Dowling (1780-1844)
Nicholas Dunne-Lynch
Jeremiah Dowling was born in County Carlow in 1780 and served in the Royal Navy as a seaman after which he immigrated to France where volunteered for la Legion Irlandaise, then forming at Morlaix (Finistere). Rising to captain and participating in many campaigns, he served until the disbandment of that corps in 1815. He later served in la Legion Royale Etrangere, which became la Legion/le Regiment de Hohenlohe. In 1831, this corps metamorphosed into la Legion Etrangere, the illustrious French Foreign Legion, Dowling transferring to the 54th Ligne, having been raised to lieutenant colonel (chef de battalion). He was, however, retired in that year after an incident with a French general. In 1816, Dowling married Lucie Lahanier at Avesnes-sur-Helpe (Nord). He died in 1844.