An Cosantóir

38 HISTORY OF AIKEN BARRACKS HISTORY OF AIKEN BARRACKS By Lt Pádraic Agnew & Sgt Riccardo Lucchesi Dundalk town has a rich and long military history dating back to the ninth century. The Irish name for the town, Dún Dealgan, means Dealgan Fort and refers to the Motte and Baily Castle which dominated the landscape for many centuries and the mound upon which it stood, which still remains to this day. The current military barracks stands on the site of a former linen mill, established in 1737. The buildings erected were referred to as Parliament Square. In 1798, the then disused mill buildings were used to quarter a local militia raised by Lord Roden and, following the suppression of the Insurrection in that year, the British military maintained regular troops on the site. In 1825, the barracks was completely rebuilt to accommodate a cavalry regiment. Lord Cardigan and Baden-Powell served tours at the barracks, as various units of dragoons, lancers and hussars rotated in through the barracks over the next seventy years. In 1902, the barracks at Dundalk was again rebuilt, this time to accommodate an artillery regiment. On the outbreak of WW1, hundreds of troops stationed in the barracks, along with hundreds of local men, joined the war effort. During this period, Dundalk was a very unionist town, owing to the fact there was a military barracks in the town and many industries were owned by prominent landlords, which excelled this support. On the lead up to and during the 1916 Rising, the Louth Brigade Irish Volunteers did not have the support of Dundalk and the same sentiment was felt by the 4 Northern Division during the War of Independence. On the afternoon of the 13 Apr 1922, Comdt General Frank Aiken, a Staff Officer from GHQ Beggars Bush Barracks, and troops of the 4 Northern Division, took command of Dundalk Military Barracks from British Forces on the orders of GHQ. As a result of Aiken's alignment with the anti-Treaty side, Pro-Treaty GHQ moved against Aiken on 16 Jul 1922 and took over Dundalk Military Barracks and imprisoned the 4 Northern Division. A raiding party consisting of the remaining members of the Dundalk South Armagh Brigades, improvised a land mine, and breached the local prison wall, resulting in the escape of over 200 Anti-Treaty Volunteers along with Comdt General Aiken. Aiken's forces reorganised and consolidated IVO Omeath and Ravensdale and in a two Company sized assault elements, attacked the Military Barracks at the main gate and back gate (now present gate). A Staff Officer, dispatched from Anti-Treaty GHQ, was an unplanned participant in the assault and later stated: "Aiken was a first-class field Commander. As a guerrilla operation, his recapture of Dundalk was by far the most spectacularly efficient carried out by the IRA. Officers Mess and Accommodation Blocks. View of the Original Drill Square, Stables and Clock Tower no longer part of Barracks View of Original Drill Square British Army Parading on Drill Square

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