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  • #31
    These were the forts taken over by the Coastal Defence Artillery (years in DF use):

    Cork:
    Fort Templebreedy
    Fort Camden
    Fort Westmoreland (Spike Island) - later called Fort Mitchel
    Fort Carlisle

    Bere Island (collevtive called Fort Berehaven):
    Lonehort Battery
    Ardaragh Battery

    Lough Swilly:
    Fort Lenan
    Fort Dunree

    Thats from A History of the Irish Naval Service, it doesn't mention any others?

    Comment


    • #32
      Were the forts under coastal artillery? Not just normal artillery? They had a few collar badges and things at the museum and I was wondering if they were regular arty or a special branch of it...did they come under (for example, in the West) the 4FAR?
      I knew a simple soldier boy.....
      Who grinned at life in empty joy,
      Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
      And whistled early with the lark.

      In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
      With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
      He put a bullet through his brain.
      And no one spoke of him again.

      You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
      Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
      Sneak home and pray you'll never know
      The hell where youth and laughter go.

      Comment


      • #33
        Coastal Defence Artillery were units of their own in the Arty Corps.


        Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

        Comment


        • #34
          Thanks Goldie
          I knew a simple soldier boy.....
          Who grinned at life in empty joy,
          Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
          And whistled early with the lark.

          In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
          With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
          He put a bullet through his brain.
          And no one spoke of him again.

          You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
          Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
          Sneak home and pray you'll never know
          The hell where youth and laughter go.

          Comment


          • #35
            Was up around Knockalla today and got a few photos of the Fort from the roadside, didn't get down near it unfortunately :( will post them here when i get the first chance
            I knew a simple soldier boy.....
            Who grinned at life in empty joy,
            Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
            And whistled early with the lark.

            In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
            With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
            He put a bullet through his brain.
            And no one spoke of him again.

            You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
            Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
            Sneak home and pray you'll never know
            The hell where youth and laughter go.

            Comment


            • #36
              Fort Dunree

              My ex father in law was based in Dunree in the 80's, when it closed much of the 'artifacts' were removed during the weeks leading up to the closure, but when he was there the fort was in full operation with mess hall and squash court etc.
              Heritage group in Buncrana has some info re the forts.

              Comment


              • #37
                Buck those are fantastic pictures, give a great perspective of Dunree. The fort has two facets. The modern museum which has a great collection of artillery equipment and good illustrations of the life and times of the fort. Then there is the extensive legacy of the old fort. Looks run down but in practice this only adds to its authenticity. And there is no problem wandering all over the site: lots of stuff -- redoubts, casemates, observation huts, all very authentic. Dunree was the last of the Forts to be handed over in October 1938. Definitely worth the long journey for a visit over the summer period.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Just a bump on this thread as I was up at Lenan Head both this and last weekend. Lenan head is a lot more run down than Dunree - the access road is badly potholed and many of the buildings have been taken apart for their stone. A good few buildings still stand, including the concrete gun emplacements and the underground storage rooms/bunkers. They're in really good nick for their age (the fort was closed in '46) but there is some graffiti and rubbish lying around. I found an old boot there when I was up and it's one of the old military style ones - it's obviously in bad nick but there are two in perfect condition in Dunree (I didn't take it with me!!). I don't have photos but there is a flickr set from a visitor a while ago, this gives you a good idea: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4060255...4616/comments/

                  If I'm up again in the near future, I'll have the camera with me and I'll get some shots. It's a nice place to visit. Also, FWIW, in Dunree, the underground magazines have hand cranked lifts to send the shells up to the gun emplacements above and the machinery is all still there, one even works without even a hint of wear. The hole in the ground (12th photo down, previous page) is where they would have come up.
                  I knew a simple soldier boy.....
                  Who grinned at life in empty joy,
                  Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
                  And whistled early with the lark.

                  In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
                  With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
                  He put a bullet through his brain.
                  And no one spoke of him again.

                  You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
                  Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
                  Sneak home and pray you'll never know
                  The hell where youth and laughter go.

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Thanks for bumping that Buck...I must do Dunree again soon. Fascinating place.
                    'History is a vast early warning system'. Norman Cousins

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Originally posted by spider View Post
                      Thanks for bumping that Buck...I must do Dunree again soon. Fascinating place.
                      Next time you go up, shoot me a pm and i'll point you towards the other forts in the area too.
                      I knew a simple soldier boy.....
                      Who grinned at life in empty joy,
                      Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
                      And whistled early with the lark.

                      In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
                      With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
                      He put a bullet through his brain.
                      And no one spoke of him again.

                      You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
                      Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
                      Sneak home and pray you'll never know
                      The hell where youth and laughter go.

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Originally posted by Buck View Post
                        Next time you go up, shoot me a pm and i'll point you towards the other forts in the area too.
                        I'll do that...Thank You.
                        'History is a vast early warning system'. Norman Cousins

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Did any of the Treaty Ports ever fire in anger, under either jurisdiction?
                          'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
                          'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
                          Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
                          He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
                          http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.html

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Originally posted by Flamingo View Post
                            Did any of the Treaty Ports ever fire in anger, under either jurisdiction?
                            The Swilly ports did not under the Irish jurisdiction anyway. I'm not sure about under the UK but I don't think so.
                            I knew a simple soldier boy.....
                            Who grinned at life in empty joy,
                            Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
                            And whistled early with the lark.

                            In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
                            With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
                            He put a bullet through his brain.
                            And no one spoke of him again.

                            You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
                            Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
                            Sneak home and pray you'll never know
                            The hell where youth and laughter go.

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Went on an impromptu Donegal Road trip this afternoon...and ended up at Fort Dunree...been about nine years since my last visit.

                              It was past closing time but you could still walk around the grounds.

                              Some new stuff there; a Panhard M3 APC, couple of WW2 era artillery pieces, new coffee shops and a marine wildlife exhibition.

                              Sadly, the older temporary buildings at the top end are getting into really bad shape.

                              One, which may have been an Officers or Sgt's mess, has been recently burned down, there was still a strong smell.

                              Took some photos, please see below...

                              IMG_2814.jpg

                              IMG_2815.jpg

                              IMG_2816.jpg

                              IMG_2817.jpg

                              IMG_2819.jpg
                              'History is a vast early warning system'. Norman Cousins

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Some more...









                                'History is a vast early warning system'. Norman Cousins

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