An Cosantóir April 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie
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C
ontinuing our series of articles on our most ex-
treme outposts, our journey takes us to bere Island
Training Camp, County Cork, our most southerly
military outpost. Standing on the highest point on the
island, Knockanallig (270m), it is easy to see why the
island played a prominent part in our history. Lying
1.5km across from the port of Castletownbere, bere
Island dominates bantry bay, the second deepest
port in Europe.
Bere Island was one of the Anglo-Irish Treaty Ports
and remained in British hands until November 1938
when the Defence Forces formally took command
of the island's military facilities.
It is not just far south but it's also a long way
west and is a three-hour drive from Collins Bks,
Cork. To put it into perspective, when locals
from the nearby village of Garnish travel
to Croke Park they are only halfway when
they reach Mitchelstown; and that's still in
County Cork!
There are still some 210 people living
on the island, of which the main har-
bour is Lawrence Cove, near the village
of Rerrin.
Apart from its strategic location,
the military post offers everything
in the way of training resources
that any unit or course needs. It
has a rifle range, can host both
by WESLEY BOURKE
PhoToS by CPL NEVILLE COUGHLIN AND ARWN DEBBIE KEATING
Military Post
North South EaSt WESt
bere island
One of the large canons that guarded the entry to Bantry Bay.
The camp as it stands today.
