An Cosantóir

33 33 Royal Garrison Artillery manned the defences. The strategic importance of Ireland and especially this region was that Buncrana, known as H.M.S. Hecla, was naval headquarters with a Vice Admiral in command. The Lough was busy as the Royal Navy carried out visits and manoeuvres in the area. With the outbreak of war in August 1914, the Lough became an assembly point for convoys heading to the United States and Canada. When the naval base at Scapa Flow was compromised, the entire British fleet found sanctuary at Lough Swilly in October 1914. Admiral Lord Jellico later wrote that, 'for the first time since the declaration of war the fleet occupied a secure base.' Forty vessels, that included minesweepers, store and repair vessels and tankers as well as battleships, anchored in the Lough. A boom was laid between Macamish and Ned's point to secure the area. The threat of German submarines in the waters around Ireland was a constant danger to the British navy and merchant shipping, and they suffered numerous losses from mines and torpedo attacks. As the war came to an end in 1918, Irish independence came to the fore, and between 1919 and 1921 the War of Independence waged throughout the county. The result was a signing of a Treaty in 1921 that partitioned the country. Within the Treaty (Article 6) stated that British Forces retained the control of port facilities at Berehaven, Cobh and Lough Swilly until the Irish Free State were in a position to put in place its own coastal defences. Britain wanted to retain control of these ports for its own defences. In the years that followed, there were numerous improvements made to Fort Dunree with the addition of more living quarters, the improvement of water supplies and the construction of officers' and NCO's' messes. Also generators were added to the complex that generated electricity to power the fort and the newly installed electric lights and perimeter floodlights, erected in 1933. Anti- aircraft guns were also installed as the nature of warfare had advanced with aerial attack becoming a threat. The 4.7 inch guns had been superseded by two fixed 12 pounders and two 18 pounders that were mobile. After lengthy discussions between the Irish and British governments, the British agreed to evacuate the ports. On 3 October 1938 the Irish tricolour replaced the British Union Jack at Fort Dunree and Irish troops took up position within the complex. War was declared in 1939, and while Ireland remained neutral, Dunree was manned and in a state of readiness and the Lough guarded against any threat from an amphibious assault. The Fort and the Lough did not come under any direct attack during this period though numerous planes crash-landed in its vicinity and the garrison were often called out to secure the crash site and recover the remains of the crews. As the war came to a close, the garrison at Fort Dunree was reduced. In the decades that followed the Fort was used for training purposes by various units within the Irish Defence Forces. The guns were last fired in 1964 and then partially dismantled by the army in 1968. The complex was used in 1969 as a temporary reception centre for refugees from the north of the country and this was the last time the Fort was manned by regular troops. In 1990 the Department of Defence vacated the Fort and in 1994 the Fort Dunree Military Museum Ltd gave the complex a new lease of life; a new and exciting chapter in the Fort's history commenced. Today one can visit this magnificent Fort and museum with its breathtaking views of the Lough, and enjoy this magnificent piece of history that spans centuries. For further information and to plan a visit www.dunree.pro.ie dunree@eircom.net FORT DUNREE v The view back towards Fort Dunree from one of the forward 4.7 inch guns v A side view of a 6 inch gun located on the upper level of the forts grounds v A view from behind a 6 inch gun on the upper level looking out towards the north end of Ballmastocker beach

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