Griffith Barracks
Encyclopedia
Griffith Barracks is a former military barracks located on the South Circular Road
, Dublin, Ireland
.
, it was built to relieve pressure on the Newgate Prison, Dublin
. On the reorganisation of the government following Thomas Drummond's
appointment in 1835 as Under Secretary for Ireland
, it became a male penitentiary, "The Richmond Pen"; it was also known as "Richmond Gaol".
Cease to do evil; learn to do well was the motto over the door of the Richmond Bridewell.
In 1844 it was linked with Catholic Emancipation
and the subsequent movement for Repeal
of the Act of Union: one of its most famous occupants was the Liberator, Daniel O'Connell
, together with his son John. Prominent Irish Nationalist leaders such as William Smith O'Brien
, Thomas Francis Meagher
(later Acting Governor of Montana), James Stephens (founder of the IRB
) and "Honest" Tom Steele, were among its famous historical prisoners.
Another distinguished inmate was The Lord Mayor of Dublin
, Timothy Daniel Sullivan
, for publishing The Nation
, an Irish nationalist newspaper, in 1887.
In 1887 it was transferred to the War Department. The additions and extensions were completed by 11 November 1893 but prior to that, in summer 1892 a battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers
was in occupation. In this era it was known as Wellington Barracks after the Duke of Wellington
.
During the First World War it was used as a recruiting and training centre for many of the Irish soldiers who fought in that war.
was held prisoner in the detention cell of the Barracks from 3 May to 5 May, along with Count Plunkett, Larry O'Neill (future Lord Mayor of Dublin), and others, then for two days in room 4. On the afternoon of Monday 8 May he was tried for his part in the Rising. After the trial he was transferred to Kilmainham Jail.
and was garrisoned by the new Irish Army
. It was later renamed by the Army Council in honour of Arthur Griffith
, following his death in August 1922.
During the subsequent Irish Civil War
(1922-1923), the barracks was attacked by the Anti-Treaty IRA, in an incident in which five people were killed. On November 8, 1922, Anti-Treaty fighters fired on troops drilling in the main square at the barracks from positions across the Grand Canal, using Lewis
and Thompson machine guns and rifles. One soldier was killed and fourteen injured (seven seriously), two civilians were also killed and many injured. Free State reinforcments were rushed from Portobello Barracks
(now Cathal Brugha), and two of the IRA attackers were killed and six captured, along with a machine gun.
In reprisal for the attack, a Republican, James Spain, was killed. He may have taken part in the attack on the barracks and was wounded in the leg. Two hours after the action, he was pursued by Free State troops, taken out of a nearby house on nearby Donore Avenue and summarily executed.
as the site for the National Boxing Stadium which was opened by Frank Aiken
.
and the site handed over to the Office of Public Works
as part of a government programme of closing a number of military installations around the country.
In 1992 the Barracks was sold by the Office of Public Works
and it became the site of Griffith College Dublin
. The College has developed on the site with a number of building being refurbished as well as a number of new structures being built.
In 1998 Griffith Barracks National School was opened the Guardhouse building and parade ground site at Griffith Barracks, South Circular Road. It was officially opened by President Mary McAleese in April 1998.
South Circular Road, Dublin
The South Circular Road is a road in Dublin, Ireland, one of the longest in the city. It runs from Kilmainham in the west of the city, through Rialto and Dolphin's Barn to Portobello, near the centre. As it runs mainly through residential areas, it is used by numerous bus routes.-History:Until the...
, Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
History
The site of Griffith Barracks was originally known as Grimswoods Nurseries. The first buildings on the site were those of a Remand Prison or Bridewell. Begun in 1813 by the architect Francis JohnstonFrancis Johnston (architect)
See Francis Johnson for English architect of similar name.Francis Johnston was an Irish architect, best known for building the General Post Office on O’Connell Street, Dublin.-Life:...
, it was built to relieve pressure on the Newgate Prison, Dublin
Newgate Prison, Dublin
Newgate Prison was a place of detention in Dublin until its closure in 1863. It was initially located at Cornmarket, near Christ Church Cathedral, on the south side of the Liffey, and was originally one of the city gates.-From city gate to prison:...
. On the reorganisation of the government following Thomas Drummond's
Thomas Drummond
Captain Thomas Drummond , from Edinburgh, Scotland, was an army officer, civil engineer and senior public official. Drummond used the Drummond light which was employed in the trigonometrical survey of Great Britain and Ireland. He is sometimes mistakenly given credit for the invention of limelight,...
appointment in 1835 as Under Secretary for Ireland
Under Secretary for Ireland
The Under-Secretary for Ireland was the permanent head of the British administration in Ireland prior to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922....
, it became a male penitentiary, "The Richmond Pen"; it was also known as "Richmond Gaol".
Cease to do evil; learn to do well was the motto over the door of the Richmond Bridewell.
In 1844 it was linked with Catholic Emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
and the subsequent movement for Repeal
Repeal
A repeal is the amendment, removal or reversal of a law. This is generally done when a law is no longer effective, or it is shown that a law is having far more negative consequences than were originally envisioned....
of the Act of Union: one of its most famous occupants was the Liberator, Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
, together with his son John. Prominent Irish Nationalist leaders such as William Smith O'Brien
William Smith O'Brien
William Smith O'Brien was an Irish Nationalist and Member of Parliament and leader of the Young Ireland movement. He was convicted of sedition for his part in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, but his sentence of death was commuted to deportation to Van Diemen's Land. In 1854, he was...
, Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher
-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...
(later Acting Governor of Montana), James Stephens (founder of the IRB
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
) and "Honest" Tom Steele, were among its famous historical prisoners.
Another distinguished inmate was The Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
, Timothy Daniel Sullivan
Timothy Daniel Sullivan
Timothy Daniel Sullivan was an Irish nationalist, journalist, politician and poet who wrote the Irish national hymn "God Save Ireland", in 1867...
, for publishing The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, an Irish nationalist newspaper, in 1887.
In 1887 it was transferred to the War Department. The additions and extensions were completed by 11 November 1893 but prior to that, in summer 1892 a battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers
Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, it had its home depot in Tralee. It was originally formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of two regiments of the former East India Company. It served in India and...
was in occupation. In this era it was known as Wellington Barracks after the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
.
During the First World War it was used as a recruiting and training centre for many of the Irish soldiers who fought in that war.
1916 Rising
The Barracks was attacked during the 1916 rising. After the surrender Éamon de ValeraÉamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
was held prisoner in the detention cell of the Barracks from 3 May to 5 May, along with Count Plunkett, Larry O'Neill (future Lord Mayor of Dublin), and others, then for two days in room 4. On the afternoon of Monday 8 May he was tried for his part in the Rising. After the trial he was transferred to Kilmainham Jail.
Civil War
The change from Wellington Barracks to Griffith Barracks occurred on 15 April 1922 when it became one of the first to be handed over to the Irish Free StateIrish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
and was garrisoned by the new Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. It was later renamed by the Army Council in honour of Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. He served as President of Dáil Éireann from January to August 1922, and was head of the Irish delegation at the negotiations in London that produced the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.-Early life:...
, following his death in August 1922.
During the subsequent Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
(1922-1923), the barracks was attacked by the Anti-Treaty IRA, in an incident in which five people were killed. On November 8, 1922, Anti-Treaty fighters fired on troops drilling in the main square at the barracks from positions across the Grand Canal, using Lewis
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
and Thompson machine guns and rifles. One soldier was killed and fourteen injured (seven seriously), two civilians were also killed and many injured. Free State reinforcments were rushed from Portobello Barracks
Cathal Brugha Barracks
Cathal Brugha Barracks is an Irish Army barracks in Rathmines, Dublin. A key military base of the Irish Defence Forces, it is the headquarters of the Eastern Command, and houses the Military Archives of the Department of Defence.-History and name:...
(now Cathal Brugha), and two of the IRA attackers were killed and six captured, along with a machine gun.
In reprisal for the attack, a Republican, James Spain, was killed. He may have taken part in the attack on the barracks and was wounded in the leg. Two hours after the action, he was pursued by Free State troops, taken out of a nearby house on nearby Donore Avenue and summarily executed.
Boxing
In 1939 part of the barracks was leased to the Irish Amateur Boxing AssociationIrish Amateur Boxing Association
The Irish Amateur Boxing Association is the governing body of amateur boxing in Ireland. It was founded in 1911 following a meeting in Dublin.-Structure:...
as the site for the National Boxing Stadium which was opened by Frank Aiken
Frank Aiken
Frank Aiken was a commander of the Irish Republican Army and later an Irish politician. A founding-member of Fianna Fáil, Aiken was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1923 and at each subsequent election until 1973...
.
Buildings
- Daniel O'ConnellDaniel O'ConnellDaniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
Building - Arthur GriffithArthur GriffithArthur Griffith was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. He served as President of Dáil Éireann from January to August 1922, and was head of the Irish delegation at the negotiations in London that produced the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.-Early life:...
Building - MeagherThomas Francis Meagher-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...
Building - James StephensJames StephensJames Stephens may refer to:*James Stephens , 17th century MP for Gloucester*James Stephen , English lawyer associated with the abolition of slavery* James B...
Building - Richmond Building
- Wellington Building
- Cavalry Buildings
- Stables
- The Guardhouse (Location of Griffith Barracks National School)
Closure
In 1991 the last soldiers left the Barracks and transferred to Cathal Brugha BarracksCathal Brugha Barracks
Cathal Brugha Barracks is an Irish Army barracks in Rathmines, Dublin. A key military base of the Irish Defence Forces, it is the headquarters of the Eastern Command, and houses the Military Archives of the Department of Defence.-History and name:...
and the site handed over to the Office of Public Works
Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
as part of a government programme of closing a number of military installations around the country.
In 1992 the Barracks was sold by the Office of Public Works
Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
and it became the site of Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin is a private third level college in the Republic of Ireland. It is based in and named after the former Griffith Barracks on the South Circular Road in Dublin. It offers courses accredited by a number of institutions and bodies in Ireland and Britain...
. The College has developed on the site with a number of building being refurbished as well as a number of new structures being built.
In 1998 Griffith Barracks National School was opened the Guardhouse building and parade ground site at Griffith Barracks, South Circular Road. It was officially opened by President Mary McAleese in April 1998.