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  1. #1
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    Local History

    doing a bit of research into my family history and that of the Inchicore/Kilmainham area and found some interesting stuff but finding club history thin on the ground any pointers would be much appreciated.One thing I discovered was the Old barracks on Saint Micheal's was named after the Duke of Richmond so thats were the stadium gets its name.

    Good bit on the history of the Saint Micheals site

    A History of Richmond Barracks

    At a time when an invasion by France seemed probable, determined efforts were made to upgrade the military strongholds in Ireland. As part of this procedure a range of Martello towers were erected strategically around the Irish coastline and in Dublin as many as ten of the dilapidated army sites were replaced by two new barracks; a cavalry barracks at Portobello and an infantry barracks at Golden Bridge. Work began on both projects in 1810, during the Lord Lieutenancy of the Duke of Richmond. By 1814, the barracks at Golden Bridge was ready to receive troops and in the ensuing years almost every British regiment spent time here; the usual schedule for a change in regiments was every year with two main regiments occupying the barracks during that time. Often there were many more regiments represented during the year, though these consisted of detachments and depot units. The barracks was intended to hold approximately 1600 soldiers. When more than that number was to be accommodated use was made of the Phoenix Park and the Curragh, the latter being also a training centre, for musketry practice etc.

    Following Wellington’s victory at Waterloo in 1815, a relative peace followed for the next forty years; relative peace, for while foreign forces were curtailed there was always home grown unrest with recurrent attacks by such groups as the Whiteboys. Peacetime for soldiers meant unemployment; many regiments reduced and the militia disbanded. This was partly responsible for a period of economic recession. In 1832, there was a cholera epidemic to add to the typhus which regularly visited soldiers, and then, from 1845, the famine. In the years immediately before and during the great famine there were more troops here than at any other time. The reason for this was twofold; O’Connell’s repeal movement was attracting such huge numbers that the Government was quite rightly apprehensive; also, the authorities needed military force to ensure that produce intended for shipping would reach its destination; food markets were being stormed and bread deliveries intercepted by starving people.
    Local folklore has it that in 1866, the Fenian leader John Devoy daringly entered Richmond Barracks dressed as a British soldier in order to make contact with other Fenians who had infiltrated the ranks of the 60th and 61st Rifles. This is untrue, although part of the Fenian plan of Rebellion did involve a mutiny and takeover of the barracks. During the Boer War, at the end of the 19th century, the barracks was a hive of activity with four battalions of the Argyll and Sutherland regiment stationed here. Lord Roberts personally inspected the troops and as each battalion left for Kingsbridge station hundreds of local people turned out as early as 5 a.m. to cheer them on their way. When they got to the station hundreds more were waiting for them there from all parts of Dublin. That morning, in October 1899, two trains specially commissioned for the occasion carried the force of 1,100 troops to Queenstown (Cobh), where they set sail for the Cape.

    Richmond Barracks was for most of its history an infantry barracks, but two changes occurred in the last century. From 1907, it became a sub depot for the Royal Irish Constabulary, whose head quarters was in the Phoenix Park. Then, from 1910, depots of the 11th, 4th, 8th and 13th Hussars, or light cavalry, were accommodated there. At the time of the First World War three significant personages were at Richmond Barracks. The first of these was the unfortunate private Thomas Highgate of the West Kent Regiment. He was shipped to France with his regiment, and shortly after, he became the first soldier of the war to be shot for desertion. In 2006, he was among the 306 soldiers, including 26 Irishmen, to be pardoned. In 1914, Captain (Lord) Dunsany, the famous playwright and author of over 500 tales of science fiction was posted here. His plays ran simultaneously in London, Paris, Moscow and New York and he was a leading light in the “golden age” renaissance of Irish literature.
    He was also the mentor of Lance Corporal Francis Ledwidge, a poet and fellow soldier in the 5th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Ledwidge had voted against the Redmond proposal, perhaps on principal, because it was being suggested that it would ensure Home Rule: “Home Rule is as far of now as ever,” he told them. However, he joined up, believing that as a nation aspiring to have its independence we should play our own part against an enemy “common to our civilization,” and not have others do it for us.
    The 1916 Easter Rising was, of course, the single most important feature in the long history of Richmond Barracks. All those arrested were taken here, including the leaders who were held in the gymnasium prior to the court martial; a fact which would guarantee its notoriety. As the executions relentlessly continued, and with growing unease in the British Parliament, Prime Minister Asquith visited the Barracks on the 12th May 1916, to bring matters to a close.

    The barracks changed hands in December 1922, following the War of Independence and the departure of the three regiments stationed here, the King’s Own, the Welch Regiment and the Shropshire Regiment, who were replaced by the Free State Army. It was renamed Kehoe Barracks after Col-Comdt. Tom Kehoe, one of Michael Collins’ “Twelve Apostles” or assassination squad, who died from injuries sustained from a land mine at Macroom, in September 1922.

    In 1924, Kehoe Barracks was given over to Dublin Corporation for housing, with emphasis more on economics than suitability. President Cosgrave expressed the opinion that the particular scheme had been put forward by experts in the matter of housing. He understood it would be possible to accommodate a large number of families at a price which was more closely approximate to an economic experiment of the kind than anything else he had seen. The ill-conceived scheme, which had degenerated into a slum was replaced in 1969 by St. Michael’s Estate, soon renamed, at street level, “St. Michael‘s Mistake.” This too, was designed with economics in mind and followed a similar course to its predecessor. The area is due (overdue) for a major redevelopment.
    (from A History of Richmond Barracks by Liam O'Meara)

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  3. #2
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    There's a great book on the area by Seosamh O'Broin: Inchicore Kilmainham and District". Thought I'd lost it but found it the other day. You're welcome to borrow it any time

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    There's a great book on the area by Seosamh O'Broin: Inchicore Kilmainham and District". Thought I'd lost it but found it the other day. You're welcome to borrow it any time
    fair play got it myself a few year back and only read it recently I thought it was very well researched full of great info but sadly the club featured very little in it facts on our foundation are hard to come by, Its a very historical district of the city.Its hard to believe Mc Dowels was the haunt of British soldiers a hundred years ago as was the one of my favorites the horse and jockey.

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    Peter Carpenter NoAlCalcioModerno's Avatar
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    Meant to be a very good book, must pick it up. Fascinating political history to Inchicore in the 20th century. The Irish Citizen Army were very strong there, not surprising with so many railway men, and several local men fought and died in the Spanish Civil War too, mainly coming from the same republican tradition.

    Just one local republican: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ballyfermot/8232896633/
    THE SEI.

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    Paul McGrath
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    List of volunteers here. Inchicore definitely a stronghold.

    http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/ica.html

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    Dinny Lowry Cian's Avatar
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    Perhaps a silly question, why are names struck out on the list?

    The Inchicore history book is really good too, have a signed copy at home. If anyone wants a lend in the future let me know.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cian View Post
    Perhaps a silly question, why are names struck out on the list?
    I assume it's because they're struck off a physical written/typed list (there are other notes on the list too like "number faded" etc)
    "We've seen you come, we'll see you go"

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  13. #8
    John McDonnell
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    Just got the Inchicore Kilmainham and District book in the library there. Seems really interesting so far.

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