History
Barracks
The Development of Mullingar Town
The town of Mullingar was founded by the Normans over 800 years ago. The town was first granted the right to hold markets in 1207. Indeed, the adjacent area names of Rathgowan/Farranshock and also Sarsenstown indicates earlier Gaelic Irish settlements and structures within this vicinity.
The Norman settlement was a Manor and Borough with a castle, a parish church, Augustinian and Dominican monasteries, a hospital and a Frankhouse. The town was rebuilt following a disastrous fire in 1747 and seems to have had a degree of prosperity.
Mullingar has a long history of military occupation: in 1641, the Confederate army used the town as a food and munitions base, and in 1690, general Ginkel set up camp here before the siege of Athlone. There is believed to have been at least one earlier Barracks in Mullingar, its location uncertain, though possibly at the East end of MacCurtain Street, near the canal. The extension of the Royal Canal to Mullingar in 1806 had led to an increase in the prosperity of the town, with several important new public buildings constructed in the first half of the 19th century, including a courthouse and gaol, with the Barracks forming part of this creation of a new institutional infrastructure.
Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
19th Century
The nineteenth century brought a transport revolution to the town with the arrival of the Royal Canal in 1806 and the railway in 1848. Mullingar was also an important coach stop. As well as a Cathedral, a military barracks, a railway station and the canal, Mullingar in the 1800s also had an infirmary, a workhouse, a jail, a courthouse, a market house, a post office and a police barracks. Nineteenth century Mullingar was an important military centre and many British army regiments were stationed in the town.
Royal Canal, Downs, Co. Westmeath – James P.O’Dea
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
Columb Barracks
The area where Columb Barrcks is located is steeped in History, being in an area of town known as the Commons where for century’s merchants and farmers traded during the towns quarterly Fairs and Market days. Then for much of the 18th century, this area was also the site of the Town Gallows where executions were carried out in full view of those gathered on the Commons, near to where the main gate of Columb Barracks is located today. It has also been suggested, that these gallows held the notable distinction of having a female executioner who was simply known as “Dolly”. A comprehensive archaeological survey of the barracks site would most definitely illuminate epochs of its past that could inform any future development.
Tenders for the construction of an Infantry Barracks were advertised in 1807, with the barracks being largely constructed between 1810 and 1815. It has been presented that the original name of the barracks was Wellington Barracks, named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) after his famous victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, which corresponds with the timeline of the construction of the barracks. However, it appears from research that the barracks up to Irish Independence was simply referred to as the Military Barracks, Mullingar.
Although now separated into two ranges, the two sections were originally connected by a pedimented central bay with a stone carriage arch at the centre of the western range. The building retains lintels and jambs of punched limestone. In common with many other barracks of this period, that at Mullingar comprised a complex of buildings with distinct functions, including dormitories for soldiers and for officers (the former likely to have been significantly more spartan), messes, latrines, stores, and a small gaol building. Exercise yards and parade grounds were also integral to the arrangement of these early 19th century barracks complexes. In Mullingar, the barracks would have been easily recognisable as a non-public place, physically disconnected from life outside its high walls.
Military Barracks, Mullingar, Co. Wesmeath
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
2 Storey Range Now Lost
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
St. Colman’s Chapel, or Barracks Church, was a later addition, built in 1855. It is a nine-bay, lancet-windowed hall church, with a chamfered belfry projecting from the entrance gable. It is built of a dark limestone rubble with ashlar details and has quarry-glass windows. A chaplain’s residence, in the same gothic style as the church, was also
There was an 1861 War Department report recommending extensive improvements to the barracks (NIAH), and there are a number of references to later construction at Mullingar Barracks in British military archives (held at the National Archives in Kew, London, though unfortunately in this case not digitised). They hold drawings of married soldiers’ quarters dated 1877 (although Casey & Rowan date the construction of these quarters to 1909). In any case, these have since been removed, though they are almost certainly the buildings visible in the undated photographs held in the National Photographic Collection.
Drawings of Ablution and Bath Houses date to 1896, which appears to be their date of construction. Other more general drawings dating from 1851 and 1863-98 also survive in the National Archives’ collections. In addition to these buildings, the 1911 OS map also shows some further buildings to the eastern part of the site, including the officers’ mess and barracks mess buildings.
Royal Visit to the Barracks:
Monday 17th May 1850 witnessed the visit of HRH Prince George of Cambridge, cousin of Queen Victoria, as part of a troop review and barrack inspection. Prince George having arrived at Mullingar Railway Station proceeded to the barracks under military escort. This visit coincided with the latter stages of the Great Irish Famine, in which many of the inhabitants of Mullingar and its environs were suffering its most horrendous impact.
19th Century Barracks and overseas
From 1853 to 1856 the barracks became a major centre of training for soldiers on their way to fight in the Crimean War. It was during this period, on Sunday 23rd December 1855, the new Garrison Church was opened for Sunday worship, which had been recently constructed along with Chelsea House. Soldiers from the barracks served all over the Empire including India and Canada, and in battle in places such as Crimea, Afghanistan and South Africa as well as during World War 1, when the Barracks and Camp Field was a major centre of training.
World Record Lease
In 1868, the then Landlord of Mullingar, Lord Greville leased a right of way from the barracks to the British Secretary of State for War for ten million years, making it the longest lease on record.
Soldiers Ceremonial Dress, Near Chapel
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
View Towards Chapel
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
Barracks Detail
- courtesy of National Library of Ireland (NLI)
20th Century
Tragedy in the Barracks and Camp Field
In April 1908, Tragedy struck in the Barracks, when a number of young soldiers employed in the Officers Mess died as a result of a fire. Indeed, ten years later, in January 1918, tragedy struck again, when 10 year old, Tommy Rickard from Patrick Street, while playing in the Camp Field, was killed and his young friends severly injured, having picked up a live grenade. Mere months later in May, Lieutenant MacDonald of the Royal Scots was also killed in the Camp Field during a live grenade training exercise.
World War I
During the First World War, scores of Mullingar men served in the armed forces and many were killed or injured. The town was also a major military training depot. During the ‘troubled times’ of 1916-1921, many people from Mullingar, a largely Nationalist town, took part in the struggle for Irish Self Government.
Columb Barracks and the Irish War of Independence:
It’s interesting to note, that during the Irish War of Independence, many Volunteers of Óglaigh na hÉireann were incarcerated behind the barrack walls as prisoners of the British Army. However, only a year or two later, after Irish Independence, many of those same Irish soldiers were now once again serving behind its walls, but this time as owners of their own destiny and within an Irish Army barracks of Óglaigh na hÉireann.
Sadly, painful events on the streets of Mullingar in April 1922, just before the Irish Civil War was officially declared, witnessed two Irish soldiers on opposing sides of the Anglo-Irish Treaty dying in from gunshot wounds having being shot during separate hostile exchanges. Both opposing soldiers were Joseph Leavy of the Anti-Treaty IRA and Patrick Columb of the Pro-Treaty IRA, later known as the Irish Free State Army. The Army Barracks, now the home of Free State Army was renamed in honour of Patrick Columb, becoming known as Columb Barracks.
Soldiers Near Chapel
- courtesy of NLI
Patrick Columb: (1902 – 1922)
Patrick Columb from Columbcille, Granard, Co Longford was just 20 years old when killed in 1922. However he has become immortalised as The Army Barracks, now the home of Free State Army was renamed in honour of him, becoming known as Columb Barracks.
Unfortunately, this shocking occurrence in the town was a sign of what was to haunt Ireland during this period, with the barracks playing its own active part in the Irish Civil War. On the 13th March 1923, the tragedy of the Irish Civil War saw two young Anti-Treaty soldiers; Michael Greally and Luke Burke being incarcerated, tried by a Military Court and executed in the barracks. Poignantly, the barracks now holds the sad disposition of being the very site where the last two people to be executed in Mullingar took place.
Early in 1922, the British Army left Mullingar and the Irish Army took over the barracks. Mullingar would remain an important garrison town for the rest of the century.
World War II : The Emergency
During World War II, neutral Ireland went into Emergency mode and with it Columb Barracks. During the 1930s the barracks was partially closed, except for being used from time to time as a livestock pound and a training centre for the Volunteer Reserve, especially the Regiment of Uisneach. However, the Emergency period from 1939 onwards, brought new life to the barracks when it once again became a major training centre for the Irish Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann, with Mullingar becoming Brigade HQ.
On the 17th February 1943, the 4th Field Artillery Regiment was born, and with it a lasting legacy for Columb Barracks.
Post WWII:
The second half of the 20th century witnessed Mullingar’s increasing prosperity. The town remained an important market town, but it also acquired a strong industrial and technology base for the first time. New schools, churches and businesses were built and the town expanded dramatically in all directions.
1966 Memorial wall:
The ‘U’ shaped principal barrack range was separated into two blocks by the introduction of a wall memorial in 1966.
Patrick Columb
- Courtesy of An Cosantóir, The Irish Defence Forces Journal, July 1983.
Resignation of the President of Ireland:
The resignation from office of Irish President, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh in 1976, was due to an infamous speech made in the confines of Coumb Barracks, in which the President was called a “Thundering Disgrace” by Minister of Defence, Paddy Donegan T.D. Columb Barracks and indeed Mullingar made headlines all over the world due to this unprecedented incident.
Address of Recognition for the F.C.A.
In 1998, the 9th Field Artillery Regiment, An F.C.A. made history, being the first unit in the History of the Irish Defence Forces shooting competitions, to win three of the five major shooting competitions in a single year. In honour of this historic achievement, the Mullingar Town Commission presented the Regiment with an “Address of Recognition”.
20th Century Overseas
Troops from Columb Barracks have also bravely served overseas on Peacekeeping Missions with the United Nations. Indeed, Soldiers from Columb Barracks fought with valour in the Congo including at the Siege of Jadotville in in September 1961. This famous battle was made into the Netflix movie, “The Siege of Jadotville” in 2016, which starred Hollywood’s Jamie Dornan. Later on in December 1961, soldiers from the barracks were once again back in action in the Congo, this time at the Battle of the Tunnel. During this period, Columb Barracks was to witness three of its solders being awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for heroic and gallant actions under fire in the Congo, they being, Captain T Boyle D.S.M., Sergeant J Quirke D.S.M. and Corporal W Allen D.S.M.
Apart from the Congo, the troops of Columb Barracks have also served in places such as Cyprus, The Lebanon, Kosovo, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, Liberia and Chad. This service by soldiers of Columb Barracks has witnessed the marginalised and displaced persons from these and other less fortunate nations, come to know Respect, Loyalty, Dignity, Trust and Friendship, not only the Irish way, but also the Mullingar Way!!
The last two decades of the twentieth century saw Mullingar’s population almost treble and improved transport links made it almost a suburb of greater Dublin.
UN Peace Keepers
21st Century
Closure of Columb Barracks
The announcement and closure of Columb Barracks as a military facility, on the 28th March 2012 was a blow for the people of Mullingar, and especially felt by the military families, whose members proudly served within its confines for generations. Columb Barracks is more than just bricks and mortar, this ‘old lady of Mullingar’ is a part of who we are, and a location in which our history and heritage is interwoven with that of community spirit and modernity. As we journey deeper into the history of Columb Barracks we can be certain of one thing, it most certainly has had a life less ordinary!!
To learn more about Columb Barracks and other Local History aspects, contact Jason McKevitt at jasonmckevitthistory@gmail.com
Further links on heritage
Ann-marie kelly Midlands 103 producer, The open door: Columb Barracks link – https://soundcloud.com/midlands103official/the-open-door-columb-barracks-mullingar
Link to Mullingar Heritage Trail – https://www.heritageweek.ie/projects/mullingar-heritage-trail-app-free-walking-tour-of-mullingar