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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Curragh Camp WW1 Practise Trenches?


Sepoy

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I am a lucky man to have a smashing "Mother in Law" who is staying with myself and the Mrs for the next month, whilst convalesing from a severe bout of pneumonia. The only problem is the Television, as being the honoured guest she has first pick of the TV programmes - needless to say our viewing interests are poles apart! As a result, during a period of total boredom, I have been browsing on Google Earth and found this fantastic practice trench system at the Curragh Camp.

Although a trip to Eire is unlikely this year, is it possible to visit these trenches? Also, is there anything else left of Great War interest at the Curragh.

Sepoy

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That is a really nice Google Earth photo you have there

I came across similar training trenches in Clonmel where there was also barracks - the local archealogical society has been doing some digging - click for their report

And there were training trenches round Birr - I did some research on a aircraft crash there - click , but the trenches at Bir are nothing like your clarity

I suspect the Irish training sites have been less developed than similar English ones, and hence have survived

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outline of training trenches for royal dublin fusiliers in the phoenix park dublin.

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Hi West Coast,

This is fascinating. Which outline is that of a trench? I've walked that area many times and haven't seen any evidence of filled in trenches - however I do remember as a youngster coming across a metal detector enthusiast in the area who had unearthed a .303 bullet which had been broken in half, but had cordite still inside... It makes sense now!

Thanks for posting,

Dave

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Guest westdub

Although a trip to Eire is unlikely this year, is it possible to visit these trenches? Also, is there anything else left of Great War interest at the Curragh.

Sepoy

The trenches are easy to acess once there is no live firing happening, I was down that way today and took some pics of the system, some of them are almost as if they were dug a couple of years ago...

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WW1 Training Trench System - Curragh Camp - Kildare - Ireland by Lucan Snapper, on Flickr

More pics can be found here.....

Also nearby is a Milatiry Graveyard with Graves from the WW1 period...

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Military Graveyard - Curragh Camp - Kildare by Lucan Snapper, on Flickr

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Grave from Military Graveyard - Curragh by Lucan Snapper, on Flickr

I hope this helps you...

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Lucan

Thank you so much for putting these photographs up - what a fantastic trench system and certainly worth a visit.

Sepoy

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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

I am doing my dissertation for my MA at the University of Bristol on the trenches at the Curragh. I carried out a walk over survey and

an initial photographic survey a few weeks ago.I will be back over home hopefully in August to start work on a Topographical survey.

Am at present doing research. The trenches are in fantastic condition, amazingly well preserved.

Cheers

Des

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  • 3 weeks later...

Very interesting, Thank you for posting the pics

G

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  • 1 month later...

There is a small but interesting museum on the Camp, not far from the Post Office. Mostly, as you would expect, about the Irish Defence Force, but also about the history of the camp generally. Many of the building are from the British era, and will be familiar to admirers of British military architecture. I happened upon it a couple of days ago making a detour en route to the Dublin ferry.

Edwin

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Military cemetery is a place called Stepaside on the Newbridge/Kilcullen edge of the Curragh on the R413.

The following link gives details of a funeral there in the early 1900s with an excellent photo of the cortege: http://www.kildare.ie/library/ehistory/2011/07/curragh_military_funeral.asp

Mark

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Continue past cemetery heading towards kikcullen and turn right before donnellys hollow and head across golfcourse. Take the next left and its in that small part of curragh called sunnyhill.

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