Rockhill Barracks

Rockhill Barracks (Irish: Beairic Chnoc na Carraige) was an Irish Army barracks located in Letterkenny, County Donegal. The Barracks was forced to close due to the 2008 economic meltdown.

Rockhill Barracks
Beairic Chnoc na Carraige
Letterkenny
Rockhill Barracks
Rockhill Barracks Location within Ireland
Coordinates	54.93374°N 7.77513°W
Type	Barracks
Site information
Operator	Irish Army
Site history
Built	17th century
In use	1969-2008

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.[1]

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" company 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.[2]

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".[3]

Closure

Closure led to a public rally

“I think it is a huge mistake to leave the north of the county without an army presence. The county would be cut off if it was blown up. What do people do in north Donegal now if there is a flooding crisis or other disaster?"

^{Dessie Larkin's view on the closure of the barracks.[4]}

Due to the 2008 Budget cutbacks on military spending the barracks was forced to close.[5] 135 personnel moved to Finner Camp in Ballyshannon on 31 January 2009.[6][7] Willie O'Dea, Minister for Defence, who defended the closure, said "There were too many army barracks for an army and a country of Ireland's size".[8] Local people protested and stated that "the Government was walking on the people and the proposals would mean the loss of €6.5 million to the local economy".[9] Dessie Larkin, a local councillor, said "I think it is a huge mistake to leave the north of the county without an army presence. The county would be cut off if it was blown up. What do people do in north Donegal now if there is a flooding crisis or other disaster?"[10] He recalled how his father James (Big Jim) Larkin was presented with a membership card for the officer's mass. The Sunday mass was only part of what the barracks meant to the community. "For people living in Bomany, Oldtown and New Mills it was a God send", he said.[4]

Protest

A protest march was held in Letterkenny on Saturday 15 November 2008 in objection to the barracks closure. It began at the Bus Éireann depot at 1.30pm and came to a climax at the Market Square. The protest was organised by the Donegal Steering Group Against Barrack Closures who include former Rockhill service personnel.[11] Fine Gael politician Dinny McGinley was forced to leave the Dáil after he caused a row with Willie O'Dea. When O'Dea failed to answer McGinley's request for him to visit Donegal, the Donegal TD demanded that he prove whether he is "a man or a mouse". Leas Ceann Comhairle, Brendan Howlin asked McGinley to leave when he repeatedly shouted at O'Dea.[12]

An open day was held at the barracks on 14 January 2009 and a final mass on 18 January was celebrated by Army Chaplain, Fr. Alan Ward. The open day provided soldiers and members of the general public with an opportunity to remember times gone by.[13] On Wednesday, 28 January, soldiers marched down the Barracks avenue for the last time before proceeding to march from the Courthouse to the Library on the town's Main Street.[14]

The future

It has not yet been decided what will become of the Rockhill Estate. Many suggestions have been made:

• Neil Clarke, a former Green Party politician, has suggested using the Rockhill site as a boot camp for suitable prisoners. He stated that the inmates would receive a "short, sharp, shock" by serving a short sentence while being trained and educated for the rest of their lives.[15]
• Former commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Declan O'Carroll has suggested that Rockhill House could be used as a County Museum due to the lack of space at the Donegal County Museum on the High Road.
• Rockhill House Heritage Association, a not-for-profit group, have been campaigning since 2009 to have Rockhill properly protected and developed so as to allow the property gain its full potential for the benefit of the people of County Donegal. They see its development as a flagship tourism project as the best option to begin to achieve that aim.[16][17]

On 25 July 2014, it was announced that Rockhill House will be sold at public auction during August 2014 with a guide price of 260 thousand euro.[18]

Publications

Lt.-Col. Declan O'Carroll, commanding officer at the barracks from 1981–1983, 1984–1986 and 1992–1993, published his 62-page book "Rockhill House – A History" in 1984. It was published by Defences Forces Printing Press and it was revised in 1994.[19]

References

1. "Soldiers mark anniversary of closed barracks in Donegal". RTE. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
2. A sad day for all associated with Rockhill Donegal Democrat, 23 October 2008
3. Irish Open boost as Laura ready to return, Irish Independent, 29 March 1999
4. The chopper arrives at Rockhill Archived 17 February 2013 at Archive.today Donegal Democrat, 23 October 2008
5. Statement by Defence Forces Chief of Staff on barrack closures Archived 19 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Defence Forces, 15 October 2008
6. Five military facilities to close RTÉ News, 15 October 2008
7. The closure of Rockhill Army Barracks Archived 24 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine Damien Blake, 17 October 2008
8. Defence Minister defends closure of army barracks Irish Independent, 22 October 2008
9. Barracks closures will hurt towns and families of soldiers, say protesters Irish Times, 24 October 2008
10. Barracks to shut Archived 20 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine Strabane Chronicle, 24 October 2008
11. Protest march over army closures Inishowen News, 12 November 2008
12. Dinny McGinley expelled from Dáil following furious outburst, Donegal News, 28 November 2008
13. Day of nostalgia at Rockhill, Letterkenny Post, 16 January 2009
14. Last Post set to sound for Rockhill and Lifford army camps Archived 24 July 2012 at Archive.today, Donegal Democrat, 8 January 2009
15. Emotional scenes as Lifford, Letterkenny barracks close Archived 24 July 2012 at Archive.today, Donegal Democrat, 29 January 2009
16. "Rockhill House features in Irish Times' "Buildings at Risk" series". 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
17. "Rockhill House". Facebook.
18. "Rockill House to be sold at public auction next month". Highland Radio. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
19. Rockhill House – a history Archived 21 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine Declan O'Carroll

External links

• Irish Defence Forces Statement