FCA/Army Training on Rosses

Kettleson

Hi folks,

I found an old bullet on Rosses beach and was wondering if the FCA or the Irish Army ever trained on Rosses Point main beach?

red sean

I doubt if they trained there with the Golf Course beside them. Was the bullet intact or was it just the spent shell?
Any idea what size bullet. If it was a .22 it may have been used for shooting rabbits on the Golf course.

Kettleson

Cheers Red Sean check out my thread in "Military".

promethius

Kettleson wrote: »

Cheers Red Sean check out my thread in "Military".

there was some type of artillary unit there, this is from memory. the old beachery building at the car park was where they were based out of. there is a marking of what's probably the year the building was built over one of the doors.there are old rusted metal fixings which must have mounted the guns.

it's well documented (unlike my vague ramblings!) in local history books.

bowmore point overlooks the very strategically important channel which is the entry/exit for sligo

Kettleson

Thanks Promethius.

Yes I know the concrete foundations and the large metal circular installation you refer to.

It would seem to be for some sort of mechanical/defensive installation that had a 360 degree ability? And the concrete lookout type construction nearby (not the Life Guards house), is that of the same period? I haven't read any references to it, do you have any links?

Are they connected with Irish forces prevention of the warring nations violating Ireland's neutrality during World War 2?

Strategically thinking, I'm also reminded of Churchills visit to Inishmurray in the mid/late 30's where he took notes during his visit to the island, but I gather he did that when he visited new places.

promethius

Kettleson wrote: »

Thanks Promethius.

Yes I know the concrete foundations and the large metal circular installation you refer to.

It would seem to be for some sort of mechanical/defensive installation that had a 360 degree ability? And the concrete lookout type construction nearby (not the Life Guards house), is that of the same period? I haven't read any references to it, do you have any links?

Are they connected with Irish forces prevention of the warring nations violating Ireland's neutrality during World War 2?

Strategically thinking, I'm also reminded of Churchills visit to Inishmurray in the mid/late 30's where he took notes during his visit to the island, but I gather he did that when he visited new places.

The beachery is a large building now used by the council which is elevated from the car park and has two metal doors and a tin roof. this has a marking with the year of its construction i presume. think it's 1905 or something. My understanding is that this was a british base for an artilary unit which operated the guns overlooking the channel and which you saw the foundations of. This was used a shop up until approx the late seventies and is in a state of disrepair now. it's a concrete construction.

There is another stone building which is on the way to the lifeguard hut but which is now fully blocked off. This i am told by council employees was the munitions store for the unit and was double walled to keep the shells as dry as possible. There is another one which could have been a lookout which now has no roof built onto the cliffside, you can walk into this.

I dont have links for any of that but have been researching old papers for something else and there are numerous references to the artilary devision in rosses point.

irlpic

We often fired 7.62 rounds from the FN on the firing range in Finner Barracks which is situated on the edge of Donegal Bay just around the coast from Sligo bay. Mostly live rounds though.Could this shell made its way around to Rosses Point over the years?

Kettleson

irlpic wrote: »

We often fired 7.62 rounds from the FN on the firing range in Finner Barracks which is situated on the edge of Donegal Bay just around the coast from Sligo bay. Mostly live rounds though.Could this shell made its way around to Rosses Point over the years?

Thanks irlpic. Red Sean also suggested that, and its something that cannot be ruled out. The year on the headstamp is "74".

Have a look at the thread in Military, some interesting commentary there.