Rockhill Barracks - History

History

Rockhill House is a 30-room period building originally built as a manor house in the 17th century for the gentry. Captain Thomas Chambers is the earliest recorded occupier of the house in 1660. The present structure dates from 1824 and is a listed building. Rockhill House was occupied by The Irregulars during the Irish Civil War. They were removed from the building by a pro-treaty crowd who were led by Letterkenny native James McMonagle. Rockhill House which houses the barracks was later privately owned by Sir Charles John Stewart. His two sons were killed during World War I. He sold the building in October 1936, through selling agent John King Robinson, due to the fear of attacks from the Irish Republican Army.

During years of vacancy the building was used as a Preparatory Irish College. The premises was used by The 24th Battalion from 1969 to 1973. Rockhill also hosted military combatants before members of the "B" Coy of the 28th Infantry settled there in 1973. The barracks opened in 1969 and covers 29 acres (120,000 m2) of land. The then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, deployed Irish troops to the border during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

There is evidence that golf was played at Rockhill before the 20th century, long before Letterkenny Golf Club was established in 1913. A steward wrote to his master stating that golf was being played on the land of Major General ACH Stewart. In a letter he stated "Mr Chambers, Manager of the Ulster Bank, Dr Carre and a few others been playing golf on the lawn starting at McDaid's old lodge and going across into the Fort Field".

Before its closure the house had undergone major refurbishment with re-roofing of the original building and changing the heating system from turf burning to central heating.