Birr Barracks CRINKHILL

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Birr Barracks aka Crinckle Barracks (in the heart of the village of Crinkhill) was built between 1809-12 during the Napoleonic Wars. It was a major centre for the British Army, within easy reach of the River Shannon.

The 49th Regiment of Foot was stationed here (accommodated in private billets before the barracks were built).

In 1873 the barracks became the depot for

the 100th (Prince of Wales's Royal Canadian) Regiment of Foot and the 109th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Infantry).
In 1881, both of these regiments were amalgamated to form the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) with its depot here.
The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) was disbanded in 1922.

During WWI, some 6,000 recruits enlisted at Birr Barracks. In 1917 an airfield was built here. Two years later, Sergeant John Allan was killed when his plane crashed into Crinkill House on 28 March 1919.

On 14 Jully 1922, following Irish independence, the barracks were burned to the ground by IRA Irregulars. In 1985, the remaining ruins were demolished.

All that remains of the barracks today are the walls and several gateways and guardhouses. The military cemetery in part of the adjoining Drill Field (to the west) containing 52 headstones.

A memorial to the Regimental Association of the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) commemorating the regiment's strong linkages with the area was erected in 2013.

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References

	Crinkill Barracks BIRR	Ireland	VIEW SOURCE
	Birr Barracks WW1 Trench Dig	Ireland	VIEW SOURCE

Type of Building:

Police or Military

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My Wife's Great Great Grandfather, Samuel McCarroll joined the 97th (earl of Ulster's) army regiment in Birr in 1840 - so I presume he may have up at Crinkhill Barracks, Birr. In 1841 he sailed with the Regiment from Cork, Ireland to the Ionian Islands in Greece and was stationed at Corfu until 1847 before being sent to Malta. In 1848 the Regiment was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to relieve the 23rd (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot.

Private Samuel McCarroll returned with the 97th Regiment of Foot to England in May 1853.

Records in 1861 show that he was stationed in Colchester, Essex, England

On searching the 1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census he is listed as living in Gillingham, Kent, England - an area where most of my and wife's family now live.

On the 1891 census it says that he was born in Ireland Rossbrew but I've been unable to find a town or village called Rossbrew, in Ireland. Other census records state his birth as Birr, King's Offaly), Ireland and the dates vary from 1822 to 1824 and 1826. Unfortunately I haven't been able to track down any details of his parents or siblings or any exact birth address.

Tony Richman

Thursday 12th November 2020 03:33PM

Hi looks like your wife & me are related, he's my g g grandad aswell. I live in Carlisle but the family are from cheshire, manchester, stockport areas.