Steyr
Steyr Assault rifle
40 x 20 inches, oil on canvas, 2006
The Austrian made Steyr is the Irish army’s
standard issue infantry weapon. Prior to it was the FM Rifle which fired a much
bigger round but once fired would leap up and be hard to bring to bear for a
second shot. It was also much longer and people would get tangled up getting in
and out of jeeps and so on. The assault rifle is shorter which allows access in
and out of small spaces quickly. The Steyr fires a small round. I was told that
the idea here was to simply wound an opponent, thereby occupying two other
opponents who would then be busy carrying away their comrade.