An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 33 In the wake of the Crime- an War and the Indian Mutiny the British government realised that its army was ill-prepared for an expansive conflict. This was rectified by the reorganisation of the British regimental system through the Localisation Scheme. This scheme divided Ireland into brigade districts (later to be renamed regimental districts). All infantry regiments were to consist of two bat- talions with a common depot and recruiting area. The militia of the area would become a third battalion. On the 1st of April 1873, the 101st and 104th Foot were the line battalions of the 70th Sub-District, with the Brigade De- pot at Tralee, and were augmented by the militia of Cork, Clare and Kerry were affiliated. In July 1881, the two Bengal regiments (101st Regiment of Foot Royal Bengal Fusiliers and the 104th Regiment of Foot Bengal Fusiliers) became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. Further Royal Munster Fusilier bat- talions were raised during World War I in order to cater for the increased number of recruits. The extra battalions were numbered from 6 to 10 with a further two garrison battalions created towards the end of the war. The Munster Fusiliers were disbanded on the 12th June, 1922. During the War of Independence Ballymullen was a strong- hold of the British army in Tralee and was occupied by the East Lancashire Regiment during this volatile time. By the time the truce was announced on 11th July 1921, 136 people had been killed in County Kerry. A gunshot fired at 11 o'clock in the morn- ing at Ballymullen Barracks signalled the start of the truce. The historical moment of British troops leaving Ballymullen Barracks for the last time occurred on Wednesday 22nd Febru- ary, 1922. Ballymullen was then occupied by Irish soldiers of the 1st Tralee Battalion. During the eleven months of the Civil War, Ballymullen Barracks was at the centre of some of the worst atrocities of the conflict. The National Army moved swiftly to gain control of the town with a force of over 400 Dublin Guards landing at Fenit Harbour on 2nd August, 1922. During the battle for Tralee, sections of the barracks were set alight to deprive the Free State troops of the town's army base. Seven Republican prisoners were executed by firing squad at Ballymullen Barracks throughout the Civil War, and the most notorious episode in the barracks' history took place in March 1923 when nine Republican prisoners were taken to Ballyseedy Cross from the barracks jail, tied together and blown to pieces by an explod- ing mine, with only one of the nine surviving. (A monument by French sculpter Yann Renard Goulet was unveiled at Ballyseedy Cross on 30th August 1959 to commemorate the prisoners.) The Irish Defence Forces and Ballymullen Bks entered a new era with the outbreak of World War II and the creation of the Lo- cal Security Force (LSF) on 28th May 1940. At the end of that year this force was split in two, with one group retaining the LSF des- ignation, while the second group was placed under the control of the army and given the title of the Local Defence Force (LDF). The LDF was equipped mainly with the Springfield 0.300" rifle but as this weapon and its ammunition was in short sup- ply, the 0.22" Miniature rifle supplemented any shortfalls. The end of the Emergency in 1945 saw rapid demobilisation and the creation of the An Fórsa Cosanta (FCÁ). By October 1959 when 15 Inf Bn FCÁ was established with its HQ in Bal- lymullen Bks, members of the unit were being trained on the Vickers machine-gun as this weapon was become standard issue for FCÁ units. A number of adjustments to the barracks were made in 1962 with the demolition of the derelict wing at the town side of the clock archway. The building known as the Colonel's House, which was damaged on the day Free State troops captured the barracks, was also demolished and the main entrance to the barracks was widened. Major manoeuvres were witnessed at Ballymullen Bar- racks throughout its history and development of the barracks continued with the opening of the FCÁ Training Complex in December 1983. Uncertainty was rife over the future of Bal- lymullen Barracks by 1991 even though Minister for Defence Brendan Daly was quoted as saying that any rationalisation plan would relate to permanent personnel only. On 10th July 1992, to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the British army vacating the barracks, a plaque was unveiled at the barracks commemorating the men and women of Kerry who were involved in the struggle for Irish independence. In March 2000, 50 mobile homes were put in place in the barracks to accom- modate 1,000 asylum seekers, but have since been removed. Following the creation of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) in 2005, and a further reorganisation occurring in April 2013 with the Ballymullen's 32 Inf Bn RDF being brought under the command of 12 Inf Bn in Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick. At present Ballymullen Barracks is occupied by a PDF cadre staff, and is utilised for training exercises and occupation. Free State Troops outside Castlemorris Ballymullen Barracks with Irish Free State troops in Square ready to march. Note damaged roof. Captioned photo- graphs were taken by Franz Latchford who lived at Castlemorris House in Ballymullen, and are courtesy of his son Michael. Pho- tographs are dated late 1922/early 1923.

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