Curragh Camp, pics, memories etc

Wordless

After growing up in the Curragh Camp in the 70s and 80s (and even though it was in decline then it was still a fantastic place to grow up) I was wondering does anyone have any decent photos ( particularly places like the cinema, bakery, Sandes, and the various terraces etc) to share. For those not in the know the old place will soon have no civilians left in it but it was a beautiful place to grow up with many kind and friendly people. It will be sadly missed.

guil

My mothers family are from the curragh as well. Have a look at curragh.info
Matt McNamara runs it and there is countless pics up there.

Ken.

If your on facebook check out these
https://www.facebook.com/groups/367632986662004/ People who lived in the Curragh

https://www.facebook.com/groups/curragh/ Curragh history group.

Both are open groups so you should have no problem joining. If you do let me know.

Wordless

guil wrote: »

My mothers family are from the curragh as well. Have a look at curragh.info
Matt McNamara runs it and there is countless pics up there.

Love Matt's page. However, very few 80s heads on it ha ha I have noticed it is very hard to get a few pics of the likes of the old cinema and especially of a few of the terraces. Also I was thinking that maybe a few heads might run across this as for Matt's site you have to be specifically looking for The Curragh.

Wordless

ken wrote: »

If your on facebook check out these
https://www.facebook.com/groups/367632986662004/ People who lived in the Curragh

https://www.facebook.com/groups/curragh/ Curragh history group.

Both are open groups so you should have no problem joining. If you do let me know.

Nice one! Must take a look.

Ken.

Wordless wrote: »

Nice one! Must take a look.

Do and either on facebook or the curragh.info site ask Matt about the Curragh history group. They meet once a month in the band hall across from Maginns, to the left of the protestant church.

Also have you been into the Museum in the Curragh. Reggie runs it and they have books of old photos going back through the years.

Wordless

ken wrote: »

Do and either on facebook or the curragh.info site ask Matt about the Curragh history group. They meet once a month in the band hall across from Maginns, to the left of the protestant church.

Also have you been into the Museum in the Curragh. Reggie runs it and they have books of old photos going back through the years.

Ah Reggie great historian. He had a talk in Kildare Town Library there about two weeks ago.

Ken.

Wordless wrote: »

Ah Reggie great historian. He had a talk in Kildare Town Library there about two weeks ago.

If reggie doesn't know about it, it didn't happen.:D

Wordless

ken wrote: »

If reggie doesn't know about it, it didn't happen.:D

Ha ha true you went in for a hair cut and came out 3 hours later!

Wordless

But in all seriousness there won't be a 'civilian' Curragh Camp soon which is very sad. I have to say I couldn't have wished to grow up in any other place. Besides the people, to be on the middle of the plains was always beautiful.

Ken.

I agree. I have a child in the tech and the word now is that soon(next 3-5 years) the tech will be amalgamated with Newbridge tech and that the primary schools will be moved outside the barriers. Eventually their will be a metal fence running around the whole camp. The only place civies will be allowed is the church.

Wordless

ken wrote: »

I agree. I have a child in the tech and the word now is that soon(next 3-5 years) the tech will be amalgamated with Newbridge tech and that the primary schools will be moved outside the barriers. Eventually their will be a metal fence running around the whole camp. The only place civies will be allowed is the church.

It would seem to be going that way with the schools, just from the fact there are very few kids in the catchment area.

Ken.

I was talking to a man the other day who has grandkids in the boys school. He was saying he can't believe that soldiers don't bring their kids to school their. One person he knows has kids in school in Newbridge. Class has 38 in it. Same class in the curragh has 17.

Wordless

ken wrote: »

I was talking to a man the other day who has grandkids in the boys school. He was saying he can't believe that soldiers don't bring their kids to school their. One person he knows has kids in school in Newbridge. Class has 38 in it. Same class in the curragh has 17.

Having went to the boys school I in no way meaning the following remark to be disparaging but the boys school looks terrible with all the fencing around it. I think that would put off a lot of parents.

Wordless

ken wrote: »

I was talking to a man the other day who has grandkids in the boys school. He was saying he can't believe that soldiers don't bring their kids to school their. One person he knows has kids in school in Newbridge. Class has 38 in it. Same class in the curragh has 17.

I suppose Ken that is another reason for looking for pics etc. it feels weird that the place will be gone. A lot of people forget what the army did for the area around it.

Badly Drunk Boy

The (retired) photographer, Oliver McCrossan, released a book earlier this year which was his second compilation book of photos he had taken over the years. I don't have a copy of the book but I'm sure there are a good few from the Curragh Camp, especially since he had an office there (beside Maginn's) for years. The book is called ‘Who, When, Where’.

Wordless

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

The (retired) photographer, Oliver McCrossan, released a book earlier this year which was his second compilation book of photos he had taken over the years. I don't have a copy of the book but I'm sure there are a good few from the Curragh Camp, especially since he had an office there (beside Maginn's) for years. The book is called ‘Who, When, Where’.

I actually have seen the two there are great army pictures but very few of the events that he captured from other towns. Two excellent books on Kildare life in general.

Ken.

I'm gonna be in my mothers(still living in the camp) over the weekend. She has loads of photos from through the years. Just pics from our communions/confirmations/birthdays etc. Us in the foreground but some nice backgrounds. We lived in McDermott tce for 20+ years so the cinema and old bakery would be in the background of some.

Wordless

Don't forget the pictures Ken!

Wordless

A bit like the music thread not a lot of love for the Curragh! There does seems to be a preponderance of Maynooth/Leixlip/Celbridge folk on here so it was always a bit of a long shot. But thanks to those that posted!

Wordless

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3821274867222&set=gm.663104463729060&type=1 for those that are interested. Some folk working for a monument for The Curragh Families Hospital

Wordless

https://www.facebook.com/groups/curragh/?ref=ts&fref=ts Curragh History

Badly Drunk Boy

Earlier I was looking at videos on YouTube and happened to see one related to the Curragh, by the aforementioned Matt McNamara. Here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czN0v89MqRI

Wordless

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Earlier I was looking at videos on YouTube and happened to see one related to the Curragh, by the aforementioned Matt McNamara. Here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czN0v89MqRI

Thank you so very much for posting that. Some great Kildare folk on there ( including my brother and my old teacher). Brings back some memories

Wordless

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NrNF6LTqv8g

Another one of Matt's. Great to see the place when it was so vibrant.