An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 31 at once with his company of foot to join up with King James in Duncannon, and to set the castle on fire before he left. However, the letter fell into the hands of an English merchant, who did not deliver it but just told Kelly that he was wanted at Duncannon im- mediately with his troops. As soon as Kelly and his company left, the message about burning the castle was disclosed to the Protes- tant inhabitants of the town who rose, disarmed the Papists and seized the castle. The castle was sold early in the 18th century and was converted into a barracks. The demolition of the castle must have been a huge job as the walls were 17 feet thick. Mr Edward Sutton, the builder, stated that the building was ready for troops in 1725 and three years later three companies of foot were quartered there. However, there were many complaints that the barracks was too small to accommodate 600 men, that rooms were too small, and ceilings too low. There were also complaints of a gasworks nearby and a fetid stream (almost an open sewer). Many men had to be billeted in the town, which the townspeople didn't like, and there was always a danger that the men could get out of the control of their officers. Early in 1798 the North Cork militia took up residence in the bar- racks and the hunt for rebels began. Those found to have weap- ons of any kind were punished by pitch capping and half hang- ings. These activities and their right to free quarters made the militia the object of hatred and animosity in the town. On hearing that the rising had begun in Oulart, Lt Col Foote, who was in com- mand at the time, led about 100 soldiers from Wexford barracks to face the rebels. They were completely defeated and only Foote and two or three privates survived. When the rebels captured the town the Wexford garrison fled to Duncannon. After the defeat of the rebels on Vinegar Hill on 21st June the Crown forces retook control of the barracks. The Wexford Militia remained in the barracks until 1882, recruit- ing for 8d daily pocket money; three good meals a day, butter and jam for breakfast, and a meat dinner with vegetables; a good pair of boots, shirt and socks to take home; and 'shillings for bringing in new blood'. In 1882 the Cardwell Reforms were introduced in an effort to solve the problem of sup- plying new recruits to regiments stationed throughout the British Empire. These reforms linked militias or territorial units to form reserve battalions within regiments, not too dissimilar to the Defence Forces' model today, and the Wexford Militia became the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. Following the 1916 Rising, the homes of Sinn Féin supporters and other 'suspects' were raided and some of those arrested were imprisoned in Wexford Barracks until they could be sent to Dublin. In September 1920, 40 members of the Devonshire Regiment stationed at the barracks ran amok on Wexford's streets, demanding to know where the Sinn Féin club was. When some local people were assaulted, the RIC tried to intervene and asked for assistance from the other troops in the barracks. This was refused. Fights broke out between locals and the soldiers in the Bullring and on Main Street and eventually the soldiers were driven back into the barracks. In an incident during the Civil War in 1922, IRA men fired about 20 rounds at the barracks from a field near Distillery Road but there was no return fire from the Regiment. In the summer of 1923 the barracks was handed over to Free State forces, who maintained a small presence there until the Emergency, when many regular units used the barracks as their HQ. This period was the first time 3 Infantry Battalion became associated with the barracks, where they were used to train the newly formed North Wexford, New Ross and Wexford LDF battalions as well as securing the south-east coastline. In 1946 the LDF was replaced by the FCÁ and the barracks became HQ of the Wexford FCÁ Battalion. In 1959 five FCÁ battalions were amalgamated to form 10 Inf Bn FCÁ (O'Hanranhan Battalion) with HQ Coy and A Coy based in Wexford Bks. After the reorganisation of 2006 the barracks continued in use as 33 Inf Bn RDF's HQ. In 2013, 33 Inf Bn RDF was subsumed into 3 Inf Bn as its reserve company. Today Wexford Castle/Barracks, call it what you will, with its towering stone walls continues to stand proudly defiant and its centuries of history are carried lightly as the barracks square continues to echo to the commands and drilling of the officers, NCOs and privates of E Coy, 3 Inf Bn.

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