Gough Barracks

Gough Barracks
Gough Barracks
Armagh, Northern Ireland
	Gough Barracks visible on the left beyond the bungalow
	Gough Barracks Location within Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54.34892°N 6.64293°W
Type	Barracks
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	1773
In use	1773-1960; 1970-1976
Garrison information
Occupants	Royal Irish Fusiliers

Gough Barracks was a military installation in Armagh, Northern Ireland.

History

The barracks were first established on the site in 1773.[1] In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted under the Cardwell Reforms and the barracks became the depot for the 89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot and the 94th Regiment of Foot.[2] Following the Childers Reforms, the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot and the 89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot amalgamated to form the Royal Irish Fusiliers with its depot in the barracks in 1881.[2]

During the Second World War the barracks were used as military accommodation by the United States Army.[1] In 1954 an Irish Republican Army unit raided the barracks and seized 340 rifles, 50 Sten guns, 12 Bren guns and a number of small arms.[3] The barracks were closed as depot of the Royal Irish Fusiliers in April 1960.[1]

In 1970 Gough Barracks were re-opened as the Headquarters for 2nd Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment: the battalion remained there until they moved out to more modern facilities Drumadd Barracks in 1975.[4] The premises were then vacated completely by the British Army in 1976.[5]

A nuclear bunker was established at the site during the Cold War[6] and it continues to be used as a policing base by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.[7]

"No pomp or ceremony as keys for Gough Barracks are handed back". News Letter. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
"Training Depots". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
"This day in Irish History 12 June 1954: The IRA Raid on Gough Barracks in Armagh". Politics.ie. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
Potter, p. 27
"Gough Barracks, Armagh". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 19 January 1977. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
"Nuclear Bunkers". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 6 March 1986. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
Staff Reporter. "Armagh set for brand new police station on Gough Barracks site". Armagh I. Retrieved 16 September 2020.

Potter, John (2001). Testimony to Courage: The History of the Ulster Defence Regiment 1969-1992. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-0850528190.

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