Irish artillery

[toxandria]

Dear sirs, let me introduce me shortly; I am a 42 year old Dutchman who is interested in the armed forces of the smaller european nations like Denmark, Finland Luxembourg, Eire and all the others. I have this crazy hobby for more than 25 years.
I would like to ask you for some help. I am trying to get some information about the Irish artillery, both field, anti aircraft and coastal.
As far as I have found out the Irish army had following artillery pieces:
- Vickers 83,8 mm Mk IV, 18 pndr,
- Vickers 114 mm Mk 1, 4,5" howitzer
- Vickers 87,6 mm Mk I, 25 pndr
- Bofors L/60 (M36) 40 mm A.A.,
- Bofors L/70 (M48) 40 mm A.A.
- heavy coastal art at Cork and Dublin ()
Who can confirm this and/or give me more information, number of pieces in use, etc.
Also photographs or other information is very welcome, please give me some help.

greetings!!

[DeV]

http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/artycorp.htm

http://www.dunree.pro.ie/

The Coast Defence Artillery had its HQ on Spike Island (Fort Westmoreland) with 2 forts (units) in Lough Swilly, Co.Donegal (Forts Lenan, Dunree), 3 forts around Cork Harbour (Forts Camden, Carlisle, Templebreedy) amd 1 fort at Fort Berehaven at Berehaven, Co.Cork. These were the names used post-1938.

These forts used:
9.2 inch
9.2 inch BL
6 inch
6 inch BL
4.7 inch QF
18 pounders
12 pounders QF
Lewis MGs
Vickers MGs

[sierra one]

Irelands Artillery Strenght Should Not Be Discussed With Non Members Of The Irish Defence Force

[Gasplug]

Tut tut kermit, that is operational info!

[Boomer]

Guys that information is already in the public domain, it was on the site previiously and (I am sure) can be found on military.ie or by ringing up the DF Press Office.

[hptmurphy]

I think you've forgotten the 17pdr anti tank gun. one remaining at kilbride canp.....not sure where the pair from Ballincollig went.

Alos in use was the 6pdr at gun ...there were two on the square in ballincollig also....

Any help!

[California Tanker]

I think you've forgotten the 17pdr anti tank gun. one remaining at kilbride canp.....not sure where the pair from Ballincollig went.

Alos in use was the 6pdr at gun ...there were two on the square in ballincollig also....

Any help!

A most excellent reference for current strenghts is 'The Military Balance', published, I believe, every two years. I've not bought a copy of it in a while though. Even goes down to the numbers of ATGM launchers purchased. They have a copy of it in the UCD library.

NTM

[sledger]

Field Artillery

18 pdr 84mm field gun various marks Range 5,965m
60 pdr 127mm field gun Range 15,000m
3.7in howitzer mountain gun Range 5,395m
4.5in howitzer Range 6,675m
75mm field gun Range 6,850m
25 pdr field gun (In Service)
120mm heavy mortar (In Service)
105mm L118/L119 light gun (In Service)


Anti-Tank Artillery

2 pdr 40mm Range 5,900m
6 pdr 57mm Range 5,030m
17pdr 76.2mm Range 9,145m


Anti-Aircraft

3in 20cwt 76.2mm mobile and semi mobile Range 11,330m
3.7in 94mm Range 18,075m
40mm L60 Range 3,000m
40mm L70 (In Service)

Source Artillery Corps Anniversary Book 1923 - 1998

[DeV]

With regard to my previous post concerning the Coast Defence Artillery, this was the situation during the Emergency (World War 2):

Fort Westmoreland (Spike Island) - 1 x 9.2" gun, 2 x 6" guns, 2 x Bofors 40mm guns , 2 x 3.7" AA guns

Fort Camden (West Cork Harbour) - 1 x 9.2" gun, 1 x 6" gun, 2 x 18 pounder guns, 2 x torpedoe tubes, Vickers & Lewis MGs

Fort Carlisle (East Cork Harbour) - 2 x 6" guns, 2 x torpedoe tubes

Fort Templebreedy (outside West Cork Harbour) - 2 x 9.2" guns

Fort Berehaven (Bantry Bay) - 2 x6" guns, 2 x 12 pounder guns, 6 x searchlights

Fort Lenan (Lough Swilly) - 2 x 9.2" guns

Fort Dunree (Lough Swilly) - 2 x 6" guns

Fort Duncannon (Waterford) - 2 x 12 pounder guns

Fort Shannon (Mouth of River Shannon) - 2 x 6" guns

There were three batteries around Dublin at North Bull, Sandycove and Dun Laoghaire (which has 2 x 12 pounder guns - I think that it them being firing in the picture on military.ie).

The two forts in Lough Swilly also has 4 x MGs and 4 x 4.7" QF guns between them.
The forts around Cork could house up to 2377 personnel for between 6 weeks and 3.5 months.
The forts in Lough Swilly could house up to 556 personnel.

Source: A History of the Irish Naval Service, Aidan McIvor (1994)

[Steamy Window]

I understand Fort Shannon was built during the Emergency...anything substantial left there? It's on the localOS map as "fort"...

[DeV]

I understand Fort Shannon was built during the Emergency...anything substantial left there? It's on the localOS map as "fort"...

As was Fort Duncannon.
The defences of Cork, Bantry Bay and Lough Swilly were those left after the British left the Treaty Ports.
I think i'm wrong, but the Dublin defences were based on martello towers from Napoleonitic times?

[Goldie fish]

The details on Fort Carlisle above are incorrect. She was equipped with 2 x 9.2 inch and 2 x 6 inch guns,as well as other defences...

It is worth mentioning that most of the above listed equipment is still on site,if you know where to look.

By 1914,the following weapons were in place.

Fort Templebreedy
2 x 9.2-inch MkX

Fort Camden:
Right Upper Battery 3 x 12pdr QF
Left Lower Battery 2 x 12pdr QF

Fort Westmoreland:
No 3 Bastion 2 x 6-inch Mk VII

Fort Carlisle:
No 1 Battery 3 x 12pdr QF
North Battery 2 x 6-inch Mk VII

Rupert's Tower Battery (Fort Carlisle)
2 x 6-inch Mk VII
South Battery 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X (1 mounted in reserve)

On the handover in 1938,the following were in place.
Fort Carlisle:
Rupert's Tower Battery
2 x 6-inch Mk VII
South Battery 1 x 9.2-inch Mk X

Fort Westmoreland:
No 3 Bastion 2 x 6-inch Mk VII

Fort Templebreedy:
2 x 9.2-inch MkX


Loads of details about the Cork Harbour forts can be found at http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/redan/cork.htm

[toxandria]

Fantastic, thank you all for youre help. If somebody has some photographic materials available?? please let me know. Once more thank you, if I ever can do some thing in return let me know.
All the best.
Toxandria.

[hptmurphy]

Duncannon has its origins going back to the napoleonic times.....its also the only one that fired as hot in anger during the war...or emergency ...and scored a hit!

was more recently and lastly used as a camp for An Slua Miuri..and the civil defence!

[toxandria]

Forgive me not speaking the native Irish, all I speak are "Tullamore Dew" and "Paddy's" , so could you translate "An Slua Miuri".
Can you tell me more about the action of Duncanon??

Thanks!!!