Tallow Army Barracks

Tallow Army Barracks

Niall C.E.J. O’Brien

 

Before a national police force was organised in the mid-19^th century, the army was employed to keep the peace and enforce the laws under direction of the local magistrates. In the 17^th century the army was billeted in private houses and inns. This divided the army about a town and exposed the soldiers to the evil drink. In the 18^th century this practice of army deployment was phrased out and purpose built army barracks were constructed at key locations around the country. The town of Tallow in west County Waterford had accommodated a troop of cavalry in the 17^th century and was strategically located at a crossing point on the River Bride allowing troops to move north or south of the river as the situation demanded.[1]

 

The ruins of the army barracks at Tallow.

 

Building the barracks

It is not known exactly when the Tallow army barracks was built but a reference in the Journal of the Irish House of Commons places the building of the barracks as occurring between 1743 and 1752 during the time when Arthur Neville was Surveyor-General. Neville employed his clerk, George Ensor to be the contracting builder of Tallow barracks while at the same time constructing a barracks at Cappoquin and Mallow.[2] A British Parliamentary report on the date of the erection of army barracks across the United Kingdom, taken in 1847, fails to mention Tallow as it was no longer an army barracks by that time. Mallow barracks is mentioned but unfortunately no date of construction is given.[3] It was possibly the Earl of Cork who provided the site for the barracks at the southern end of what would become Barrack Street. The rising ground would give the soldiers an observation platform to see all approaches to the town.

The setup costs and economic benefits

In 1719 the initial cost of building a barracks for a troop of horse was about £500-£700 while in operation it would generate £500 to £1,000 per year for the local economy. A barracks for a troop of horse, like Tallow, would fall into the higher range.[4]

Designer and builder

George Ensor went on later in the 1760s to become a recognised architect with his own practice. In 1766-69 he designed the new church of St. John the Evangelist in Fishamble Street, Dublin. The church was demolished in 1884 as part of a road widening scheme.[5]

The dragoons in 1762

Like in the 17^th century Tallow was home to a troop of horse which could give a greater range of operations compared to foot soldiers. It is not known when the first troops arrived. In March/April 1762 a troop and a half of dragoons were stationed in the army barracks at the southern end of Barrack Street. But the dragoons were of limited value for security when trouble came. In April 1762 during the Whiteboys disturbances across west Waterford, a large assembly of people invaded the town with weapons of guns and pikes. They freed all the prisoners in the town jail and took over the town.[6] Troops from Youghal had to come and restore order. About 13 Whiteboy prisoners were then confined to the barracks. In November 1763 the army barracks at Tallow and Cappoquin were united under the control of Youghal army barracks.[7]

Later dragoons

In 1789 two companies of the 18^th Regiment of Dragoons was stationed at Tallow. Another two companies were stationed at Clogheen while there was one company at Clonmel, and Cappoquin.[8] In 1811 we get a better glimpse into the size and structure of the Tallow army barracks. In that year there were eight cavalry officers and 68 privates were stationed in the barracks. There were no infantry units.[9] The cavalry had 76 horses.[10] It is not exactly clear where these people and horses were accommodated in the barracks. It is possible the horses were on the ground floor with the day rooms on the first floor and the sleeping quarters on the top storey.

Closure of the army barracks

After the end of the war with France in 1815 and the growth of Fermoy as the main army garrison in the south of Ireland, small local army barracks like Tallow were closed down. It is not known when Tallow was closed but the site was an auxiliary workhouse in the second half of the 1840s. In 1818-1826 the Army department in Dublin was in talk with the agents of the Duke of Devonshire about the future of the army barracks suggesting the army had no further use for it.[11] In 1819 a proposal letter was sent to William Curry, agent for the Duke on the sale of the barracks.[12] In 1824 another offer of sale was made to the Duke.[13]

Later life of the barracks buildings

After its use as an auxiliary workhouse from the 1840s to the 1890s the old army barracks became a corn store by 1900 under the Jacob family and was later known as Bride valley Stores when owned by the Kelleher family. In 1920-22 the army barracks was re-occupied by the military – first the British army, then the Irish Republican Army and then by the Irish Free State army. In 1923 the Duke of Devonshire sought compensation from the Board of Works for damaged to the army barracks.[14]

Today (2019) the barracks continues to stand at the southern end of Barrack Street. Even in its ruinous state the barracks still exerts an influence upon the town as the building lives on in the street name of Barrack Street. Such was its impact that it is unknown what the name of the street was before the barracks was built in the 1740s. As the barracks at Mallow is no longer standing and that at Cappoquin much altered, the barracks at Tallow is a time capsule of George Ensor’s work and a picture into how a barracks for cavalry was built.

 

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[1] For more on the 17^th century soldiers at Tallow see https://niallbrn.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/a-seventeenth-century-horse-troop-in-tallow-2/

[2] McParland, E., Public Architecture in Ireland, 1680-1760 (New Haven, 2001), p. 129 which referred on note 46 to the Journal of the House of Commons, V, p. xxi ff. Volume V covers the period 1723 to 1730 and so the correct reference must be to a later volume.

[3] British parliamentary Papers, Barracks return from each barracks in the United Kingdom relative to its date of erection, 1847 (169), XXXVI, pp. 376-405, at p. 402

[4] Dickson, D., Old World Colony: Cork and South Munster 1630-1830 (Cork, 2005), p. 424

[5] Bennett, D., Encyclopaedia of Dublin (Dublin, 1994), p. 188

[6] Hayman, Rev. S., The Hand-book for Youghal (reprint Youghal, 1973), p. 67

[7] Hayman, Rev. S., The Hand-book for Youghal (reprint Youghal, 1973), pp. 68, 69

[8] The Gentleman’s and London Magazine: Or Monthly Chronologer, 1741-1794, p. 222

[9] British Parliamentary Papers, Return of Army Barracks, 1811, p. 187

[10] Butler, D., South Tipperary 1570-1841 (Dublin, 2007), p. 285

[11] National Library of Ireland, Lismore Castle Papers, MS 43,388/3

[12] National Library of Ireland, Lismore Castle Papers, MS 43,545/11

[13] National Library of Ireland, Lismore Castle Papers, MS 43,545/19

[14] Waterford County Archives, Lismore Castle papers, IE/WCA/PP/LISM/515