Over 300 people attend launch of barracks book

OVER 300 people crowded into the gymnasium of Richmond Barracks in Inchicore recently to witness the launch of the long awaited history of the Dublin landmark by Liam O’Meara.

The guest of honour was Martin Mansergh, one of the architects of the Northern Peace Process, who launched the book.

Among those present were TDs Eric Byrne, Michael Conaghan and Aengus O’Snodaigh.
Also prominent was May McGiolla who was looking hale and hearty after her recent sojourn in hospital.

The book is a story of struggle and in particular, the struggle outlined in the chapter on the 1916 Easter Rising concerns the fight for Irish Independence.

All of those arrested during the period, some 3,430 persons, including 79 women, were initially dealt with at Richmond Barracks.

However, the history of the barracks from its foundation in 1814 was also one of struggle for Irishmen serving in the British army.

The barracks were poorly lit, badly heated and the disciplinary code was harsh.

There were problems with sewerage and sanitation systems for the duration of its history. The heroes of Rourke’s Drift returned from fighting the Zulus only to fall victims to Typhoid fever while stationed there. Married soldiers and their wives often had to share accommodation with other soldiers. The military took no responsibility for these women, and many ended up on the streets if their husbands were killed serving overseas.

Later the barrack rooms were used for emergency housing for corporation tenants.
The people of Keogh Square struggled with social deprivation and the squalor in which they soon found themselves.

It became a black spot – a notorious slum, and yet we learn through the book how the women of the cottages, for instance, managed to keep their homes in good order.

The struggle continued throughout the era of St Michael’s Estate. The fact that so many hold such fond memories of both the

‘Square’ and the flats, the author writes, shows the resilience of the people.

The book can be obtained from the author Liam O’Meara on 0858497531.