St Patrick's Barracks

St Patrick's Barracks was a military installation in Ballymena.

St Patrick's Barracks
Ballymena
St Patrick's Barracks
Location within Northern Ireland
Coordinates54°56′26″N 06°14′24″W
TypeBarracks
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator British Army
Site history
Built1937
Built forWar Office
In use1937-2008

History

The site was requisitioned by the War Office and the barracks were put into use as the depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles, who had relocated from Victoria Barracks, as soon as they opened in 1937.[1] The barracks were used by the United States Army during the Second World War.[2] The barracks reverted to use as depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles after the War and became the regional centre for infantry training as the North Irish Brigade Depôt in 1964.[3] The barracks went on to be the home of the Royal Irish Rangers when it was formed in 1968 and of the Royal Irish Regiment when it was formed in 1992.[4]

The barracks were closed in 2008 and the Imjin River Memorial, which had been located at the barracks, was moved to Belfast City Hall: the memorial commemorates Irish troops lost in the Battle of Chaegunghyon in January 1951 during the Korean War.[5][6]

The site was given to the Northern Ireland Executive in 2012[7] and housing refurbishment was carried out.[8] The site was the home of the Royal Irish Regiment Museum until it closed.[9] Plans for a road link to the east of the site appeared in the planning submissions to Mid and East Antrim Council in November 2017.[10]

References
  1. "Saint Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. "Second World War in Northern Ireland". Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  3. "North Irish Brigade (Depot)". Hansard. 22 May 1958. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  4. "History of sacrifice and controversy". BBC. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  5. "War Memorials Trust". Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  6. "Royal Ulster Rifles Korean Memorial". Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  7. "Barracks to be sports base?". BallymenaTimes. 26 November 2013.
  8. "McCausland welcomes £3.8million housing scheme at former St Patrick's Barracks in Ballymena". Northern Ireland Executive. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2014.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. "Royal Irish Regiment Museum". Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  10. "Planning Advertisement List | Mid and East Antrim Borough Council". www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
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