Before the 1690s, many countries – including Britain and Ireland – did not have permanent or ‘standing’ armies. Instead, troops were mustered as needed and housed in temporary accommodation, such as huts, tents, taverns or private homes. In the early eighteenth century, Ireland witnessed the construction of a network of permanent residential army barracks to house a professional standing army. The Irish model came to set the example for similar networks in Britain and further afield.
The remains of over 300 historic army barracks are now scattered across the island. While some are well known and highly valued, others are derelict, neglected or forgotten. Visit our Barracks Map to explore this fascinating aspect of our shared built heritage and culture.
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- Retiring barracks18c.ucd.ie
The ‘Our Shared Built Military Heritage’ project has its roots in a pilot project, ‘The Army Barracks of Eighteenth-Century Ireland’. That project was was led by Ivar McGrath, Patrick Walsh and Suzanne Forbes, and supported by seed … - The British evacuation from barracks in the Irish Free State
In January 1922, the British administration began to withdraw from the newly established Irish Free State. The public aspect of this process began with the iconic handover of Dublin Castle and culminated with the more muted handover …Continue reading “The British evacuation from barracks in the Irish Free State”
- Ireland’s Martello Towers
What does the term ‘Martello’ mean to you? It sounds exotic, doesn’t it? Does it make you think of Ireland at all, or do you instead picture warm, sunny Mediterranean beaches? Probably the latter, and for good … - When is a barracks not a barracks? Part 2
As we prepare our map of historic army barracks, we have had to make decisions about what barracks to include and exclude. In some cases, we have made a decision to leave out a building or complex …Continue reading “When is a barracks not a barracks? Part 2”
Army Barracks of Ireland 