Ebrington Barracks

Ebrington Barracks
Derry, Northern Ireland

Ebrington Barracks
Ebrington Barracks
Location within Northern Ireland
Coordinates 54°59′54″N 7°18′39″W / 54.99834°N 7.31083°W / 54.99834; -7.31083Coordinates: 54°59′54″N 7°18′39″W / 54.99834°N 7.31083°W / 54.99834; -7.31083
Type Barracks
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator  British Army
Site history
Built 1841
In use 1841-2002
Garrison information
Occupants 8 Infantry Brigade

Ebrington Barracks was a military installation on the East of the River Foyle in Derry, Northern Ireland.

History

The present barracks, named after Hugh Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington (later Earl Fortescue), were built on the site in 1841.[1]

At the start of the First World War, the barracks were occupied by 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment who proceeded to France with the Expeditionary Force and landed at le Havre on 16 August 1914.[2]

At the start of the Second World War the barracks were home to 2nd Battalion, the South Wales Borderers before they were mobilised.[3] During the latter part of the War part of the base was handed over to Royal Navy to become HMS Ferret.[1] Munitions were stored at NAD Kilnappy and fuel at a fuel farm at Lisahally.[4]

During the Troubles the barracks were the base of 8 Infantry Brigade.[5] In April 2000 the Real Irish Republican Army lowered a device consisting of 5 lb of homemade explosives over the perimeter fence using ropes, and the bomb subsequently exploded damaging the fence and an unmanned guardhouse.[6] Then in January 2001 the Real Irish Republican Army were responsible for a mortar attack on the barracks: one mortar landed inside the perimeter fence of the base after being fired from a parked van but no one was injured.[7]

The barracks were closed when 8 Infantry Brigade moved to Shackleton Barracks in 2003 and the area in front of the barracks was redeveloped as Ebrington Square in 2011.[1] The Peace Bridge, built across the River Foyle between the main part of the City on the West and Ebrington Square on the East, was opened in June 2011.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Londonderry turns swords into ploughshares". Straight Arts. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment". Wartime Memories. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Complement of British Army Personnel in Northern Ireland". Second World War in Northern Ireland. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "History of Port" (PDF). Londonderry Port. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  5. ↑ "Gold Star" (PDF). Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Bombing blamed on dissidents". BBC. 6 April 2000. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Dissident Republicans blamed for mortar attack". RTÉ. 23 January 2001. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Turner Prize 2013, Ebrington Barracks, Derry-Londonderry". The Arts Desk. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
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