The 3 Infantry Battalion is a unit of the Irish Army infantry corps. The battalion traces its history back to 1923, when the garrisons of several towns in the north-west of Ireland (the province of Ulster) were ordered to amalgamate and form the 3 Infantry Battalion. The 3 Battalion was one of five in the regular army at the outbreak of World War II, when it was moved into the newly formed 5 Brigade, along with the 16 and 25 Infantry Battalions. In 1998, the battalion was amalgamated with the 30 Infantry Battalion. Personnel from the battalion have seen service all over the world as part of Irish peacekeeping contingents, both within and outside the structure of the United Nations. Today, the battalion forms part of 1 Southern Brigade, contributing soldiers not only for the defence and security of the Republic of Ireland, but also for deployment overseas. Most recently, the battalion contributed to the formation of the 95 Infantry Battalion, made up of personnel from 1 Southern Brigade, which deployed as part of the UNMIL mission to Liberia. The battalion is stationed at James Stephens Barracks in Kilkenny; B Company is located at the Defence Forces Training Centre at The Curragh, where it serves as the training and maintenance unit for the army's Mowag Piranha AFV.
The 3 Infantry Battalion also competes at rugby. Bloods rugby started in 2010 when a number of Rugby enthusiasts got toghether and arranged a game v Kilkenny Rfc.It is now the Irish Defence Forces oldest unit Rugby team. The Bloods play local teams like Kilkenny Rfc yearly and also it takes on the might of the Garda(Irish Police). To be a member of Bloods Rugby you must be a member of the Defence Forces and have served in the 3 Infantry Battalion.