Line Infantry at Castlebar

This post is a little niche – more so than usual – but it gives a useful insight into how we have worked to find out information about specific barracks. I will be discussing how one single word, typed in connection with Castlebar and lost in a seemingly uninteresting 86-page long official document, shed light …

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 reason. Martello Towers, as their sunny-sounding name suggests, emerged in the Mediterranean region. More specifically, the tower which …

Why study barracks?

At first glance, barracks are not necessarily the most exciting of buildings. When it comes to military architecture, they tend to be overlooked in favour of fortresses, ramparts, batteries and towers, which are all more glamorous than accommodation blocks. The former are also easier to interpret than the latter. Anyone can roughly understand the purpose …