WW2 Pillboxes in Ireland

ttm · 01-12-2009 1:50pm

From one of the reviews this book available on amazon.co.uk might be a bit lacking on the "Ireland" side of things but might be a nice Christmas stocking filler all the same

If anyone already has it you comments would be very welcome?

FiSe · 01-12-2009 3:50pm

Looks interesting.

Just noticed, that used book bargain on the Amazon page

:

RRP: £19.99
Price: £13.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £6.00 (30%)

Usually dispatched within 3 to 4 weeks.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

1 used from £31.07

ttm · 01-12-2009 4:00pm

FiSe wrote: »

Looks interesting.

Just noticed, that used book bargain on the Amazon page :

RRP: £19.99
Price: £13.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £6.00 (30%)

Usually dispatched within 3 to 4 weeks.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

1 used from £31.07

Its on my wish list

I'm hoping if nothing else it will give enough detail so if I come across a Pillbox here I can indentify when it was built.

RadioRetro · 02-12-2009 3:50pm

bobby wade wrote: »

No this one wasn't in rosslare harbour It was above the nursing home as you turn of the rosslare road towards killinick

Again I refer you to my previous post;

There is a pillbox/LOP on a rocky outcrop with a good view of the approach to Wexford town from the harbour at Kerlogue. There's a GE marker at 52°19'4.77" N 6°27'33.27"W.

diverdriver · 06-12-2009 11:11am

There were several around Baldonnel that I'm aware of. One was actually off the base covering the road where the new car storage area is now. That was demolished when they built that place. I'm sure there's others but of course you have to be careful given that it's an active military barracks. But like the one now gone, many should be off the base.

soldering iron · 15-01-2010 2:37pm

Pillar box Tramore Road

View from top of Pillar box

BuckJamesRogers · 15-01-2010 3:37pm

theres a couple on Rossnowlagh (wrong spelling) beach outside of Donegal Town, Co. Donegal

citizen_p · 15-01-2010 5:26pm

there is another in the woods overlooking Blessington. not marked on any OS map.
I was at both 20 years ago. i would be surprised if they have been removed.[/

Deleted User wrote: »

Any idea where the Blessington one is, possibly with a vague Google Maps link? I'd be fascinated to see this.

id be interested too...i live around there.

citizen_p · 14-05-2010 7:38pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Any idea where the Blessington one is, possibly with a vague Google Maps link? I'd be fascinated to see this.

i found it.
i drove by it nearly everyday for the last few years, thought it was a lime kiln until i seen how small the slit in it was and i asked my father what it was, only to be told it was a bunker (after a year or two earlier when he old me it was a lime kiln :mad:)

as soon as you go across the bridge (the millbank one) look up the field infront of you and mid way up beside the ditch, there it is.

ill have to go look around it and get a few pics if i can get it opened.( i know the owner )

dont go in with out permission though lads...

Dummy · 24-05-2010 12:36pm

I have seen two of these pillboxes during recent fishing trips near Cavan.

One is in Butlersbridge, on the old road heading for Cavan town.

The other is on the outskirts of Cavan town, on the left heading towards Granard. This one more formidable than the first, embedded into a hillside.

I had no camera with me, but there will be another opportunity over the Summer.

bobby wade · 06-06-2010 11:16pm

RadioRetro wrote: »

Hi guys, mind if I contribute a wee bit?

The structure in Rosslare Harbour is a pillbox built into the cliff face facing out over the harbour close to the current Coastguard hut (here; 52°15'0.07"N 6°20'7.30"W). As a youngster I crawled into it but it was empty. It's still there and I dare say it's full of detritus left by youngsters now though!

There is a pillbox/LOP on a rocky outcrop with a good view of the approach to Wexford town from the harbour at Kerlogue. There's a GE marker at 52°19'4.77" N 6°27'33.27"W.

The ones in Rosslare are filled in now, ya can't get into them

entrance to 1

inside

BuckJamesRogers · 16-06-2010 5:20pm

This is one of the ones on Rossnowlagh in Co. Donegal...there could be more but I'm not 100% sure....

Its well sunk into the sand and seems to have been carried a little of the way from the sand bank to the rear. Unfortunately, I neglected to get a photo from inside (not a whole lot there except sand anyway) and it is, obviously, inaccessible.

bobby wade · 19-06-2010 11:18pm

My dad was telling me theres one at Ferrycarrig in wexford, must take a walk yup where he said & see

RadioRetro · 22-06-2010 1:29pm

I do remember there was one close to the tall circular tower which is now part of the Heritage Park but it was destroyed when the cutting for the bypass was constructed. Can't think of any others that way but would be interested if you find one.

harr · 22-06-2010 1:48pm

some in monasterevan co kildare on the town bridge going over the barrow i think there was 2 but one got removed for a new foothpath.it's a shame to see them geting pulled down

BuckJamesRogers · 09-07-2010 1:02pm

Was in fort Dunree, have some bunkers and pillbox pictures:

All were basically the same inside, much graffiti and in disrepair. Some were also inaccessible.

who the fug · 09-07-2010 1:39pm

BuckJamesRogers wrote: »

.

Can you imagine being stuck in that one on a stormy November night

Morlar · 09-07-2010 2:02pm

who the fug wrote: »

Can you imagine being stuck in that one on a stormy November night

I can't see anybody in them lasting more than 30 minutes (assuming that they survived the initial naval or air bombardment or that they were not completely bypassed to save time in the first place). You would have to be a seriously brave person to stay in one of those in the event of an invasion. I'd wonder if any of those were designed to be nothing more than early warning or spotter locations ?

BuckJamesRogers · 09-07-2010 2:07pm

Morlar wrote: »

I can't see anybody in them lasting more than 30 minutes (assuming that they survived the initial naval or air bombardment or that they were not completely bypassed to save time in the first place). You would have to be a seriously brave person to stay in one of those in the event of an invasion. I'd wonder if any of those were designed to be nothing more than early warning or spotter locations ?

thats right near the main base, and the main guns, they're pretty big too. but the forts arent that extensive, though it was abandoned and not modernised quite some time ago. still used for tactics (FIBUA)

who the fug · 09-07-2010 2:11pm

Morlar wrote: »

I can't see anybody in them lasting more than 30 minutes (assuming that they survived the initial naval or air bombardment or that they were not completely bypassed to save time in the first place). You would have to be a seriously brave person to stay in one of those in the event of an invasion. I'd wonder if any of those were designed to be nothing more than early warning or spotter locations ?

Forget about being shelled, I be more scared of the sea

the could not of kept watch there in a storm

FiSe · 09-07-2010 7:59pm

It like that these are the WWI ones. Found a bit about it:

'In the late 19th Century the fort was modernised and elarged with the building of the, ‘Top Fort’ on Dunree Hill. During World War I it stood guard whilst Admiral Lord Jellicoe’s fleet anchored in Lough Swilly prior to engaging the German Navy at the Battle of Jutland.'

Here: http://www.dunree.pro.ie/history.html

and here handover of the fort in 1938:

Looks like a nice tip for a trip.

BrianD3 · 09-07-2010 8:10pm

Dummy wrote: »

I have seen two of these pillboxes during recent fishing trips near Cavan.

One is in Butlersbridge, on the old road heading for Cavan town.

The other is on the outskirts of Cavan town, on the left heading towards Granard. This one more formidable than the first, embedded into a hillside.

I had no camera with me, but there will be another opportunity over the Summer.

I think there's another one in Cavan along the Crossdoney to Arvagh road. Right alongside the road.

JayEnnis · 23-08-2010 4:07am

bobby wade wrote: »

My dad was telling me theres one at Ferrycarrig in wexford, must take a walk yup where he said & see

There's also something on the trail between the tower and hotel, I'll look for the thread now.

Edit: Just realised you were the OP.

dixie33 · 23-08-2010 4:11am

BuckJamesRogers wrote: »

This is one of the ones on Rossnowlagh in Co. Donegal...there could be more but I'm not 100% sure....

Its well sunk into the sand and seems to have been carried a little of the way from the sand bank to the rear. Unfortunately, I neglected to get a photo from inside (not a whole lot there except sand anyway) and it is, obviously, inaccessible.

Was hoping someone would have mentioned this so thank you

I think theres 2 or 3 of these on the beach. Theyre from WW2 and were used to defend againts planes, although i have no idea how but i presume these pillboxes were not intended to house weapons as theyre quite small and the embrassures dnt seem to allow for a wide range of movement.

The fact they're lying burried in the sand is due to coastal errosion as they were once on top of the dunes.

Hairy Nipples 87 · 17-11-2010 11:50pm

great links

Monty Burnz · 18-11-2010 12:20am

There may have been a pillbox in Carrigaline too - at least a mysterious concrete structure on a rocky hillside facing South. The back was totally empty (i.e it had 3 sides and a roof), but the front had a long narrow slit looking out over the Owenabue river. I always thought it looked like a pillbox, but never knew they existed in Ireland.

The link here may show it - it's on a rocky hilly bit on the left side of Church Rd. past Waterpark, on the left side of the road.

http://http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=carrigaline&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=17.916073,56.513672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Carrigaline,+County+Cork,+Ireland&ll=51.816681,-8.372439&spn=0.000395,0.001373&t=h&z=20

mikehn · 18-11-2010 1:10am

There was/is a fairly significant construction overlooking the shannon outside tarbert.it was christened Fort Shannon and there was supposed to be a similar structure on the Clare side.
I was in it about 20 years ago and it was fairly impressive, it was an artillary emplacement, the gun barrell was still in one of the access corridors but the main body of the gun had been removed. The idea was to prevent enemy shipping advancing up the Shannon. At the time we could see the remains of what we assumed were machine gun posts covering the landward side of the emplacement.At the time of our visit there were a couple of nissan huts present in reasonable order, one of the locals told us that from time to time that there would be visits from members of the defence forces that would use the area for small scale excercises. I must try and get out there again with the kids and if I do so I will stick up a couple of pics.

Water Cooler · 06-10-2014 7:52pm

Hello

I am looking for pillboxes in the Cavan/Longford/Leitrim areas.

I would appreciate any feedback as I am working on the theory that there was a defensive line which continues through this section of the country.

BuckJamesRogers · 07-10-2014 12:57am

Can't help you with the specific request, but the pb on rossknowlagh would likely support that, its not a million miles from the Leitrim border and could have easily been connected via Finner camp to any line in Leitrim downward

BuckJamesRogers · 07-10-2014 12:59am

Also, if you go back a page, you'll find mention of one in Cavan

Dummy · 14-10-2014 10:34pm

Hiya,

There are two that spring to mind in Co Cavan.

One on the Cavan town end of Butlersbridge.
One on a hill side outside Cavan town on left hand side going towards Granard direction.

The Chieftain · 16-01-2016 7:54am

There is one on the sea cliff just above and behind the main pier in Dunmore East, adjacent to the lighthouse.

thebeerbaron · 02-08-2017 4:10pm

There were small pillboxes built during WW2 around sheephaven bay in donegal. There is one visible from the east/south of marble hill beach. Space for 2/3 men. Built by a platoon over couple of weeks. The officers stayed in my family B&B and the soldiers were out in the fields in tents.

Jawgap · 11-08-2017 10:15am

The Chieftain wrote: »

There is one on the sea cliff just above and behind the main pier in Dunmore East, adjacent to the lighthouse.

thebeerbaron wrote: »

There were small pillboxes built during WW2 around sheephaven bay in donegal. There is one visible from the east/south of marble hill beach. Space for 2/3 men. Built by a platoon over couple of weeks. The officers stayed in my family B&B and the soldiers were out in the fields in tents.

These are/were coastwatch stations rather than pillboxes.

If you want to spend an interesting afternoon you can cover about 3000 years of Irish fortifications - all in the Boyne valley starting with Danestown Fort near Kentstown, then Hill of Tara, Trim Castle, the Martello Tower in Drogheda and the pillboxes, blockhouse and machine gun nests/pits between Navan and the mouth of the Boyne that made up the Blackwater/Boyne defensive line during WW2 (Ireland's Siegfried and Maginot Lines

)

WW2 Pillboxes in Ireland

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