RICHMOND BARRACKS 2

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This was my second visit to Richmond Barracks (aka Keogh Square & St. Michael's Estate). My first visit, in 2015, was to an open day where information, stories, and documentation was being collected from the public as part of the restoration project. This was not held in the barracks itself but in St. Michael's Community Centre in the barracks' grounds.

My interest in the barracks is twofold. In 1916-18, in the wake of a major crisis in his life, my grandfather, Patrick Mortimer, worked as a canteen assistant at the barracks. This came to an end when he was fished out of the Liffey at Eden Quay on 11 June 1918. The coroner's verdict was death by asphyxiation from drowning.

The second connection relates to my great grandfather, Christopher Burgess, Patrick's father in law, who was a master bootmaker in James's St. He had a contract to supply boots to the British Army and used periodically come up to the barracks to be paid. Now, the British Army had a reputation as slow payers, so I don't know how he came out financially from these transactions. I do understand that he was well entertained and sent home in a cab somewhat the worse for wear.

So I was very pleased yesterday to be able to visit the restored part of the barracks which remains. The building to the left in the photo above is where the 1916 prisoners were "triaged" and to the right of this is the officers' mess where my grandfather might just have worked, at least part of the time.

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Then

The restoration of the few buildings that remain has been done with great flair. For example, these transparencies on one of the outward facing windows give an immediate impression of what it must have been like to look through it in the days when the barracks was operational.

The gymnasium can now double as an exhibition space and a lecture theatre, which brings me to the purpose of my visit.

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Peadar's talk

Readers of this blog will know that Peadar Slattery has just published a brilliant book on Social Life in Pre-Reformation Dublin, 1450-1540. You don't have to take my word for this, check out the launch.

Peadar is giving a series of talks on his book, the most recent of which was in Richmond Barracks yesterday (2/8/2019). That's why I was there, but, incidentally, I took the opportunity to check out the restoration.

In his book, Peadar deals with the Dublin food supply in the period. His slide is of a specially commissioned drawing of an impression of an urban granary off Church St., based on archeological evidence.

Among a plethora of interesting subjects, he covered the use of coins - always a tricky issue.

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Keogh Square

When the Irish State took possession of the barracks in 1922, it continued to be used as a military barracks for two or three years. It was rechristened Keogh Barracks in honour of Tom Keogh (many spellings) who fell in the Civil War fighting on the State's side.

It was subsequently used for council housing. Keogh Square got a reputation for being a tough area and the estate was demolished in 1970. It was replaced by St. Michael's estate which in turn is now scheduled for further regeneration.

The current museum has a reconstruction of a sitting room (above), a kitchen and a soldier's room from the Keogh Square days.

This, on the wall of the sitting room will no doubt spark many memories.

To note in the kitchen, the picture of Pope Paul VI on the wall.

The soldier's room.

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School

The Christian Brothers had a boys' school in some of the buildings from 1929 to 2006. One of these rooms is now preserved in the officers' mess building.

There's even one of those things you stick your head through, though this seems to have gone co-ed in the meantime.

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People

There are transparencies of people up on many of the internal and external window panes and I wondered what that was all about. I recognised Francis Ledwidge above, but apart from a few in uniform of one sort or another, the rest look like ordinary people.

I gather they are more or less random from photo archives associated with the barracks. The identities of some are known but not of others.

So the idea is that, on visiting the barracks, if you have had any associations with it, including in its civilian uses, you never know who you might see and be able to identify.

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The Toilet

This notice in the toilet really took my fancy - historic drains.

It reminded me of the lady who was supposed to have shouted: Help, Help, my son, the engineer is drowning. Fit for a tombstone that one.

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The Mess/Cafeteria

Another good use of photos in the corridor window at the cafeteria, British soldiers in the mess. Check out the Lemons' sweet boxes. They were very popular as late as my day.

I'm told some of the old barracks tables are still in use here, though not necessarily originals from the mess itself.

In spite of what I said above I cannot see my grandfather being let within an ass's roar of the officers' mess, much less my great grandfather being entertained there. However, as the alternative cafeteria is no longer there I think I am within my rights to claim this lovely lady as effectively my grandfather's ultimate successor.

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