Irish Garrison
Under the Anglo-Irish Treaty (which marked the end of the Irish War of Independence), the complex was handed over to troops of the Irish Free State on March 1, 1922. Due to escalating tensions between Free State and Republican troops, the barracks were handed over to Republican forces on March 5, as part of a truce agreement agreed between Liam Lynch, Commandant of the Republican Forces, and Commandant General Michael Brennan of the Free State Army. Towards the end of March the barracks was commanded by Connie (Mackey) McNamara.
At the height of the Irish Civil War, the barracks was besieged by Free State troops under the command of Commandant General Michael Brennan between the July 15–20, 1922. In the late evening of July 20, Captain McNamara surrendered control of the barracks to the Free State forces. The bullet holes from the conflict are still visible in the neighbouring houses.
The Free State then used the Barracks as a training Depot, and troops there were used in the Cork and Kerry landings in August 1922. The barracks housed forces of the Free State Army through the remainder of the Irish Civil War and for 13 years was home to units of the Southern Command of the Irish Defence Forces. The Barracks was then handed over to the Limerick Corporation in 1935.
Read more about this topic: Strand Barracks
Famous quotes containing the words irish and/or garrison:
“O Paddy dear, an’ did ye hear the news that’s goin’ round?
The shamrock is by law forbid to grow on Irish ground!
No more Saint Patrick’s Day we’ll keep, his colour can’t be seen,
For there’s a cruel law agin the wearin’ o’ the Green!”
—Unknown. The Wearing of the Green (l. 37–40)
“Our country is the world—our countrymen are all mankind.”
—William Lloyd Garrison (1805–1879)