Palace Barracks, Holywood

Palace Barracks
Holywood

Palace Barracks
Palace Barracks
Location within Northern Ireland
Coordinates 54°37′25″N 05°48′50″W / 54.62361°N 5.81389°WCoordinates: 54°37′25″N 05°48′50″W / 54.62361°N 5.81389°W
Type Barracks
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator  British Army
Site history
Built 1886
In use 1886 – present
Garrison information
Occupants Royal Irish Regiment

Palace Barracks, Holywood is a British Army installation in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

History

Palace Barracks occupies the site of a palatial house known as "Ardtullagh", the home of the Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore until it was bought by the UK War Office in 1886.[1]

In 1933, six children of Lance Corporal Harry Poole and his wife, Mary, lost their lives from asphyxiation following gas poisoning in the married quarters of the barracks.[2]

During the roughly three decades of "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the barracks served as the home base for British army battalions rotating through the province, especially those on a two-year "accompanied" tour with their families. A wide variety of facilities are available for soldiers to use off duty, including a swimming pool, squash courts, saunas, bars and a gymnasium.[3]

Palace Barracks has been the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Irish Regiment since 2008 and the home base of several squadrons of the 152 (Ulster) Transport Regiment (Volunteers). In March 2010, it was the site of a bombing,[4] one of several attacks carried out by "hardline Republicans" in 2010; other attacks included the Newry car bombing.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "The History of the Culloden Estate and Spa" (PDF). Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Palace Barracks Memorial Garden". Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "Army Base Palace Barracks," Domesday Reloaded, BBC website.
  4. ↑ Real IRA Claims Barracks Car Bomb Blast Sky News, 12 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "Gardaí say dissidents no threat to Britain," Cormac O’Keeffe, Irish Examiner, 18 September 2010.