Richmond Barracks Inchicore.
Richmond Barracks, Inchicore was completed in 1810 and was named after Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond. The Barracks was first occupied by the British Army in 1814. Many Irishmen were stationed there before going overseas to fight in the First World War.
After the Irish Free State was founded in 1922, the Barracks was occupied by the Irish Army, and named Keogh Barracks, after Commander Tom Keogh who fought in the war of independence. The Irish government closed Keogh Barracks down in 1922.
The building came into possession of the Dublin Corporation and was used to house Dublin families who were on the housing list; they built Keogh Square, which was demolished in 1970, and this was replaced by St. Michaels Estate there. At the same time as the transfer of the barracks to the corporation, Christian Brothers purchased three of the buildings and turned two of them into class rooms and called it "St Michaels Christian Brothers School", a national school opening in 1929.
The buildings remain today that were once were part of Richmond Barracks here have very specific connections to the Easter Rising and its immediate aftermath. After the surrender, it was designated by the British as the holding centre for over 3,000 suspected rebels, until they were released or sent to prison camps in England, Wales and Northern Ireland... The signatories of the Proclamation (with the exception of James Connolly) and other leaders were also interned, court-martialled and sentenced to death in the barracks before they were sent to Kilmainham Gaol for execution."
The Government earlier this year announced an investment package of £ 22 Million nationally for commemorative projects to mark the 1916 upraising and other significant historical events. One of the Projects approved was for the Restoration of the remaining Richmond Barracks. The key objective of the Project is to develop a Visitor attraction as an integral part of a wider heritage trail of significant historical locations in the Dublin 8 area which include the War Memorial Gardens and Kilmainham Gaol as well as maximising the potential to develop an interesting “Tourist Triangle ”in this area. Overall the restoration project has National importance and when completed will provide a cultural, educational, heritage, tourist, and community attraction/facility.
Dublin City Council has the responsibility to manage and deliver this very important project within the allocated Government funding of £3.5 Million.
After the Irish Free State was founded in 1922, the Barracks was occupied by the Irish Army, and named Keogh Barracks, after Commander Tom Keogh who fought in the war of independence. The Irish government closed Keogh Barracks down in 1922.
The building came into possession of the Dublin Corporation and was used to house Dublin families who were on the housing list; they built Keogh Square, which was demolished in 1970, and this was replaced by St. Michaels Estate there. At the same time as the transfer of the barracks to the corporation, Christian Brothers purchased three of the buildings and turned two of them into class rooms and called it "St Michaels Christian Brothers School", a national school opening in 1929.
The buildings remain today that were once were part of Richmond Barracks here have very specific connections to the Easter Rising and its immediate aftermath. After the surrender, it was designated by the British as the holding centre for over 3,000 suspected rebels, until they were released or sent to prison camps in England, Wales and Northern Ireland... The signatories of the Proclamation (with the exception of James Connolly) and other leaders were also interned, court-martialled and sentenced to death in the barracks before they were sent to Kilmainham Gaol for execution."
The Government earlier this year announced an investment package of £ 22 Million nationally for commemorative projects to mark the 1916 upraising and other significant historical events. One of the Projects approved was for the Restoration of the remaining Richmond Barracks. The key objective of the Project is to develop a Visitor attraction as an integral part of a wider heritage trail of significant historical locations in the Dublin 8 area which include the War Memorial Gardens and Kilmainham Gaol as well as maximising the potential to develop an interesting “Tourist Triangle ”in this area. Overall the restoration project has National importance and when completed will provide a cultural, educational, heritage, tourist, and community attraction/facility.
Dublin City Council has the responsibility to manage and deliver this very important project within the allocated Government funding of £3.5 Million.
Captured rebels these men were taken to Richmond Barracks to be processed sent to jails on mainland Britain.
Many were sent to Frongoch in Wales released under a general amnesty in June 1917
A list of women who were detained at Richmond Barracks after the 1916 Rising
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Richmond Barracks Project 2016 Launch.
Richmond Barracks Restoration Project 2016
1st March 2016
The restoration work continues on the surviving buildings of what was Richmond Barracks later called Keogh Barracks.
Today preparations were made to replace the "Cupola" an octagonal latern on the roof of the Gymnasium building.
The restoration work continues on the surviving buildings of what was Richmond Barracks later called Keogh Barracks.
Today preparations were made to replace the "Cupola" an octagonal latern on the roof of the Gymnasium building.
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Preparations before the lift.
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The new Cupola in place.
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The 1916 Rise of the rebel Bus Tour has Richmond Barracks as one of its stops.
Liam O' Meara has launched his new book titled
"From Richmond Barracks to Keogh Square"
Liam O'Meara is the Chairman of The Inchicore Ledwidge Society.
His books include,
Zozimus: Life and Works of Michael Moran Liam O'Meara Riposte Books (12 de octubre de 2011) ISBN-13: 978-1901596175
Francis Ledwidge: Poet Activist Soldier Liam O'Meara : Riposte Books; Edición: 2nd Revised edition (20 de agosto de 2006) ISBN-13: 978-1901596137
Burned All My Witches: Liam O'Meara Published by Riposte Books ISBN 13: 9781901596069
Emmet Hall: From the Lockout to the Rising in Inchicore Paperback – August 30, 2013 by Liam O'Meara (Author) Publisher: Riposte Books (August 30, 2013)
Within and without: Dublin Churches of St. Nicholas Paperback – July 10, 2008 by Liam O'Meara : Riposte Books (July 10, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-1901596144
The Bayno: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Original and Best Play-Centre in Dublin Hardcover – December 15, 2009 by Liam O'Meara (Author)
The Best of Francis Ledwidge Paperback – Import, June 28, 2004 by Francis Ledwidge (Author), Liam O'Meara (Editor)Publisher: Riposte Books (June 28, 2004) ISBN-13: 978-1901596106
Francis Ledwidge: The Complete Poems Ledwidge, Francis Editor Liam O'Meara. Published by The Goldsmith Press Ltd (1997-09) ISBN 13: 9781870491471
His books include,
Zozimus: Life and Works of Michael Moran Liam O'Meara Riposte Books (12 de octubre de 2011) ISBN-13: 978-1901596175
Francis Ledwidge: Poet Activist Soldier Liam O'Meara : Riposte Books; Edición: 2nd Revised edition (20 de agosto de 2006) ISBN-13: 978-1901596137
Burned All My Witches: Liam O'Meara Published by Riposte Books ISBN 13: 9781901596069
Emmet Hall: From the Lockout to the Rising in Inchicore Paperback – August 30, 2013 by Liam O'Meara (Author) Publisher: Riposte Books (August 30, 2013)
Within and without: Dublin Churches of St. Nicholas Paperback – July 10, 2008 by Liam O'Meara : Riposte Books (July 10, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-1901596144
The Bayno: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Original and Best Play-Centre in Dublin Hardcover – December 15, 2009 by Liam O'Meara (Author)
The Best of Francis Ledwidge Paperback – Import, June 28, 2004 by Francis Ledwidge (Author), Liam O'Meara (Editor)Publisher: Riposte Books (June 28, 2004) ISBN-13: 978-1901596106
Francis Ledwidge: The Complete Poems Ledwidge, Francis Editor Liam O'Meara. Published by The Goldsmith Press Ltd (1997-09) ISBN 13: 9781870491471
Photos from the Book Launch
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Collecting People's History at Richmond Barracks ~ 17.11.2016
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THE GARRISON CHURCH
HISTORY OF SAINT MICHAEL’S PARISH CHURCH.
St. Michael's Church Emmett Road was built in 1853 as the garrison church of Richmond Barracks. The building served as a church and also a school for the barracks. St. Michael’s Church is a protected structure and has special heritage significance because it was the Garrison church of the barracks. It is a prominent landmark and focal point in an urban townscape of Inchicore. Records are held by the Church of Ireland dioceses of births deaths and marriages of British Army personal. When the British army vacated Richmond barracks the church was passed to the Irish army. The Irish army reopened the church and it the first Catholic Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Byrne on April 26th 1926.
On the 14th March, 1933, St. Michael's Church became a Parish and the Rev. Fr. James Doyle was appointed the first Parish Priest. He was later elevated to Canon Doyle and he dedicated 23 years of his life to improving the church and building the parish. In 1927 he was responsible for making plans to extend hand extension to the building. By his efforts, and the generous response of the parishioners, this work was completed in the early 1930s.
The extension was required to accommodate the huge increase of people coming to live in the area because of the building of the new housing estates. In 1939 St. Michael's Church consisted of two wooden altars, railings and pulpit, and a mortuary porch. There were four porches with double doors on either side which was rather unusual, providing easy access and exit for the large volume of soldiers in Richmond Barracks when it was a garrison church.
In the 1940s Rev. Fr. Michael Clarke was responsible for having the windows replaced by the very beautiful stained glass windows over both altars, designed in the workshops of Ireland's artist Harry Clarke. Harry Clarke was a renowned stained-glass Irish artist and book illustrator. His father Joshua Clarke moved to Dublin from Leeds in 1877 and he started a church decorating business Joshua Clarke & Sons, which later incorporated a stained glass division. Harry was born in Dublin on 17th March 1889 through his work with his father, Clarke was exposed to many schools of art but Art Nouveau in particular.
Fr. Michael Clarke also had the organ installed, and the marble railings erected to match the two altars. The beautiful Statue of Our Lady in pregnancy is most unusual, and Canon Doyle was very proud of all the improvements to St. Michael's through the years, which naturally also gave great pleasure to the parishioners. A statue of St. Michael in the north porch driving a spear into the devil often frightened visitors to the Church. The devil was depicted as black and the statue was removed in the 1970s.
The aisles of the church were widened in the late 1960’s by Rev. Fr. Kealy, P.P. and he was also responsible for introducing the Church's Parish Planned Giving Family Offering. In 1972 the Oblate Fathers were charged with responsibility of administering the parish of St. Michael's. Rev. Fr. Aidan O'Connor O.M.I, was appointed the first Oblate Parish Priest from 1972 to 1978.
During April 2016 centenary celebrations of the 1916 rising a two week programme of events took place to celebrate the part the church served in history of Richmond barracks.
