History-ish question

mickrourke

Now someone may know this, but i have heard several reasons for it but would like to get to the bottom of it.

There are concrete pill boxes at the sides of some bridges in North Meath, and probably elsewhere, only on the South side of the bridges mind you. I have heard that they were built in the early 40's or maybe 40's to prevent invasion from the North (although thats probably a load) from Germany if they had beaten England in WWII. Anyway there is definitely one at Maudlin bridge and Maeves bridge in Kells.

Can anyone shed any light on them for me and are they elsewhere in the County or country for that matter?

europerson

These pillboxes were built under the orders of De Valera's government during the time of 'The Emergency' (WWII) as an attempt at mounting a defence against anyone who might try to invade Ireland. They are to be found all throughout the country, but you're right in noticing a proliferation of them in Meath: ignoring anywhere else, there are about thirty of them east of Slane on the southern banks of the Boyne. Slane was, of course, a major crossing point. These Boyne pillboxes were the subject of an article by Geraldine Stout and Michael Reilly in the 2000 volume of the Journal of the Old Drogheda Society, which isn't available online, as far as I know. There are rather fewer by the time you get to Kells and the west of the county.

In terms of who the invader might be, well that's another day's work. The Irish Government had interpreted some things Churchill had said in the Commons as hinting at taking over Ireland to aid with the war effort, but, of course, there was also the threat of some German incursion into Ireland. The Irish Army had plans to deal with both caes, interestingly. Of course, the likelihood of either being successful is rather unchanged by a few pillboxes.

mickrourke

thanks for that Europerson (if that is your real name):):);)

I had always wondered (and played in them) when I was younger what the story was with them.
I take it they were expecting an invasion from the North, be it German or English as all the pill boxes are on the south-side of the river.
If they wanted to invade from the South, well they would have been a bit useless. Interestingly, I always thought they were a bit on the thin side - a tank shell would have decimated them, and the poor sods inside.

europerson

mickrourke wrote: »

thanks for that Europerson (if that is your real name)

No problem, and it's not my real name, strangely...

I take it they were expecting an invasion from the North, be it German or English as all the pill boxes are on the south-side of the river.
If they wanted to invade from the South, well they would have been a bit useless.

Well, the Boyne was a second line of defence against a British invasion from Northern Ireland. This Wikipedia article isn't too bad (I've linked to the appropriate section), but the usual suspicion about Wiki articles must remain! The German plan was to approach from the south, but it is unlikely that Ireland would have resisted British intervention, were Germany to invade Ireland. A further threat, of course, was IRA-German co-operation (Plan Kathleen).

Interestingly, I always thought they were a bit on the thin side - a tank shell would have decimated them, and the poor sods inside.

I agree. The walls of the Boyne pillboxes are rarely more than four fifths of a metre or so thick, which offers ridiculously little protection.

marco murphy

Great thread.

Mick, if you go out to Mullaghea church, take a left, and go down till you come to Williamstown house, you will see one at the fork in the road. I'm told it was a black and tan pillbox. Would this be correct, anyone?

mickrourke

Poblachtach wrote: »

Great thread.

Mick, if you go out to Mullaghea church, take a left, and go down till you come to Williamstown house, you will see one at the fork in the road. I'm told it was a black and tan pillbox. Would this be correct, anyone?

I know where you are talking about but i'm not sure - may have to ask the old man later.

corrado

I'm told it was a black and tan pillbox. Would this be correct, anyone?

I was always told the same thing about them, there is one on the Navan Slane road just the far side of the hill after the round tower coming into Navan, and one just before the bridge over the Boyne at the bottom of Sharps hill going from the boyne road to the Navan Slane road.

Every time ive passed them i think what the hell they really were for...

europerson

Poblachtach wrote: »

I'm told it was a black and tan pillbox.

Perhaps it is true in this particular case, but, to be honest, I think it may just be the locals' skewed understanding of the early twentieth century in Ireland.

corrado wrote: »

one just before the bridge over the Boyne at the bottom of Sharps hill going from the boyne road to the Navan Slane road.

I know that one very well: I used to play along there as a child, whilst visiting my grandmother. There are references to it in the two books by the late local historian in that area, Conor Brennan. I don't have those books in Dublin, but I'm going home to Meath this weekend, so I'll check then. I'm still pretty sure they're WWII rather than War of Independence though.

marco murphy

Heres a coinkydink, someone posted this in Cavan photo thread.

europerson

europerson wrote: »

There are references to it in the two books by the late local historian in that area, Conor Brennan. I don't have those books in Dublin, but I'm going home to Meath this weekend, so I'll check then. I'm still pretty sure they're WWII rather than War of Independence though.

Well, as promised, I checked these when I went home. The Sharpe's hill pillbox dates to WWII according to Conor Brennan. There were also explosives laid under the bridge, so that it could be blown up, if that were necessary.