Any secret installations in Ireland?

who the fug · 19-02-2011 6:01pm

Topper Harley01 wrote: »

The petroleum terminals at Bantry Bay were also going to get destroyed-stop the fuel supplies and everything grinds to a halt. I would imagine that the Curragh and Dublin probably would have been hit too.

http://games.juhlin.com/files/uk_strike_map.jpg

:eek:

Wrong target, if you hit whitegate then no where to refine, so the crude in Bantry is U/S

Whitegate still operational you can bring crude in

fly_agaric · 19-02-2011 6:20pm

dubhthach wrote: »

With regards to Nuclear winter from what I recall the Soviet target map had three sites on the island. These been unsurprisingly:
Dublin Airport

Shannon

Aldergrove

Interesting. Thought they just had NI (Belfast) in their "sights".

who the fug · 19-02-2011 8:01pm

fly_agaric wrote: »

Interesting. Thought they just had NI (Belfast) in their "sights".

This was the seventies/eighties so why waste a bomb on bombsite

murphaph · 19-02-2011 11:54pm

runway16 wrote: »

I'd think that actually a pretty good arrangement - in airspace as busy as the UK, it is good that they are co-located and can easily talk to each other.

Sadly for the civilian guys though - i guess it makes them a military target!

Off topic I know but my girlfriend's sister is an AT controller in Munich and they sit beside Bundeswehr and Luftwaffe officers as well. Makes absolute sense to me. In Germany ATC is privatised and different companies can tender for it.

saywhatyousee · 20-02-2011 12:55am

the C.I.A have underground bases in every western country wouldnt talk about it though,you might get a knock on your front door;)

Del2005 · 20-02-2011 2:20am

saywhatyousee wrote: »

the C.I.A have underground bases in every western country wouldnt talk about it though,you might get a knock on your front door;)

Knock, knock.....

Judgement Day · 20-02-2011 11:57am

Del2005 wrote: »

Knock, knock.....

And just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you!

BrianD · 20-02-2011 4:07pm

Our decommissioned friends from up north seemed to have had a network of underground bunkers across the state. There's one under a hay shed near you!

Aidan1 · 21-02-2011 10:28am

Wrong target, if you hit whitegate then no where to refine, so the crude in Bantry is U/S

Whiddy was built as a transhipment depot for ULCCs coming from the Gulf - the oil there was heading for refineries in the rest of Europe and the US. It has really only been used by the State since the 1990s (it's owned by Conoco Phillips though).

As for secret installations, what about the fortifications in Cork harbour? The network of tunnels and infrastructure on Spike alone should be worthy of a mention.

who the fug · 21-02-2011 10:52am

Aidan1 wrote: »

Whiddy was built as a transhipment depot for ULCCs coming from the Gulf - the oil there was heading for refineries in the rest of Europe and the US. It has really only been used by the State since the 1990s (it's owned by Conoco Phillips though).

I know what it was built for (They dredged Rotterdam in the early seventies making it obsolete), all the refineries in western Europe would have been hit , so as I said waste of Nuke.

Aidan1 · 21-02-2011 11:52am

The purpose of hitting targets in Ireland at all would have been to deny their use to the West in the period after strikes - to slow the Western Response. To be sure that the oil (up to 1.3 million barrels for much of the 1970s) in Whiddy was of no use, the Russians would have to be sure that they could destroy every refinery in Europe, and every refinery in the CONUS. After all, Whiddy was built by Gulf with the aim of acting as a transhipment point for transatlantic trade also. On that basis, it was well worth a warhead - given that the payload of one SS-18 Mod-2 could easily deal with all of the targets on the island of Ireland (Shannon, Belfast, Dublin, Cork), and have warheads left over for targets in Britain, Whiddy was well worth a round.

who the fug · 21-02-2011 3:53pm

My smugness as a teenager if it all went off with prevailing south westerly’s was misplaced then

rainbowdash · 21-02-2011 11:42pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

As far as I remember in my Guinness impaired brain it was very secretive in its early years and, indeed, in 1982 was attacked by the INLA http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/inla.htm

Theres a similar structure on Gallows hill in Cratloe just outside Limerick, known locally as the golfballs. I don't think they attracted attention in 1982 and you could drive up to them for years.

The antiwar crowd around Shannon during the Bush era took a shine to them I believe and security was beefed up. Apparently the Army were posted there for a while as security.

Del2005 · 22-02-2011 10:57am

who the fug wrote: »

My smugness as a teenager if it all went off with prevailing south westerly’s was misplaced then

Yes, even if they left us alone. They had thousands of missiles with multiple warheads aimed at all NATO countries.

We would have died slow painful deaths from radiation poisoning instead of instant death by incineration.

If you survived the bombs and radiation poisoning, all our food and water would have been contaminated and we wouldn't be able to go above ground for several years due to nuclear winter.

A but sure we're neutral politically non-aligned and everyone loves the Irish, so you where right to be smug.

The Maverick · 25-02-2011 2:21am

trad wrote: »

I am always curious as to why there are doors underneath the overbridges on the M50.

Are you talking about the closed off tunnels at the M50 - N2 junction? I read on a thread here a while back that it's to do with power cables coming from the ESB station nearby. Apparently, if the cables were buried totally underground the heat they generate would damage themselves , so the tunnels were provided to allow air to circulate and keep them cool.

trad · 25-02-2011 11:26am

Northbound between J16 and J15 (Lehaunstown overbridge?) there's a door under in the bridge support.

I also heard that within the Westlink Bridge there is a void beneath the span that was built to accomodate a railway / luas type transport.

tricky D · 25-02-2011 12:16pm

trad wrote: »

I also heard that within the Westlink Bridge there is a void beneath the span that was built to accomodate a railway / luas type transport.

This is simply untrue. The void is for structural reasons (lateral integrity and economy) and is also hollow for maintenance access to the stressing cables. It is nowhere near big enough for a train or tram. Our civil engineering class got a tour of the bridge while it was being constructed including below the surface.

trad · 25-02-2011 1:12pm

tricky d I said I heard it, I didn't say it was true.

tricky D · 25-02-2011 1:42pm

And I'm merely clarifying that's it is not true.

Grizzly 45 · 19-09-2012 8:32pm

Doom wrote: »

Active nuclear shelter under sarsfield house in Limerick.....revenue commissioner's building!! ****ers will tax the survivors

LONgggg gone.It was across the road under the old city hall.Limerick Post newspaper was in it for awhile.

Grizzly 45 · 19-09-2012 8:43pm

rainbowdash wrote: »

Theres a similar structure on Gallows hill in Cratloe just outside Limerick, known locally as the golfballs. I don't think they attracted attention in 1982 and you could drive up to them for years.

The antiwar crowd around Shannon during the Bush era took a shine to them I believe and security was beefed up. Apparently the Army were posted there for a while as security.

And during Regan,and during Clintons visit,and,and,and.Anytime there are any big cheeses in Ireland for a visit there is at least a platoon up there complete with sandbag emplacements ,razor wire and tea and sangers.
Seems a bit odd that somthing that has "no military importance" it is gaurded when somone of high value and risk is in Ireland.:P

Fact back in the 80s and cold war they would have been a backdoor early warning defence for NATO from Sov bombers flying out into the Atlantic about 5/600 miles out and launching a few cruise missiles.
Whiile in times of peace these units were built for civillian usage,in a war situation they would have been immediately requsitioned by NATO command in Brussells.Same with having military personel in the civvie flight control.Somthing happens,the civvies would find themselves being escorted politely and firmly out of the room and buildings by armed military personel.

Grizzly 45 · 19-09-2012 8:45pm

We would have died slow painful deaths from radiation poisoning instead of instant death by incineration.

If you survived the bombs and radiation poisoning, all our food and water would have been contaminated and we wouldn't be able to go above ground for several years due to nuclear winter.

Oh Dear...Somone was fed a good CND line.:D:D

[Jackass] · 19-09-2012 8:53pm

In Dublin by the Green Luas stop at St Stephens green, there are two big double doors that actually are the footpath, I've seen it opened once, they literally opened the footpath and there are steps down to what looks like a very recent / modernly concreted tunnel / Bunker. I imagine there is all the power stations and what have you for the Luas down there, but have heard of tunnels under St. Stephes Green before.

Also Grafton st. tiles are always cracking due to subsidence of the street as it's hollow underneath, mostly storage space for the shops on street level.

There are also vast vast passageways and tunnels built under the grounds of UCD and have been used for smuggling celebs in and out of the university if they are making an appearance or giving a talk, but were put in during construction in the 70's due to large civil unrest, protesting, student revolt etc. (also the reason the lake is there in UCD, to stop mass congregation on the grounds outside the college for protests and / or rioting)

Carawaystick · 19-09-2012 10:47pm

There's a load of tunnels and fortifications up in Swilly in Donegal from before we took it back from the Brits, similar stuff in Castletown Bere

DoesNotCompute · 20-09-2012 7:47am

[Jackass] wrote: »

In Dublin by the Green Luas stop at St Stephens green, there are two big double doors that actually are the footpath, I've seen it opened once, they literally opened the footpath and there are steps down to what looks like a very recent / modernly concreted tunnel / Bunker. I imagine there is all the power stations and what have you for the Luas down there, but have heard of tunnels under St. Stephes Green before.

WOuld this be part of what would have been the Metro to the airport or Dart Underground? They originally wanted to link up the Metro North or Dart Underground with the Luas at Stephen's Green before they knocked that idea on the head.

Tripp · 20-09-2012 12:13pm

[Jackass] wrote: »

In Dublin by the Green Luas stop at St Stephens green, there are two big double doors that actually are the footpath, I've seen it opened once, they literally opened the footpath and there are steps down to what looks like a very recent / modernly concreted tunnel / Bunker. I imagine there is all the power stations and what have you for the Luas down there, but have heard of tunnels under St. Stephes Green before.

Had a quick look on google maps, Couldnt find it?

[Jackass] · 20-09-2012 2:25pm

That's because it's the footpath. You can't see it, they open it up from the ground up and the doors are literally the footpath pavings. If you look closely whilst there, it's roughly at the turn of Stephens Green and at the begining of the Luas tracks, over on the side of the railing of Stephens Green, from memory, maybe in slightly, where it was newly paved. I'm not sure how obvious it even is whilst looking for it standing there, but it's definitely there! I've seen it open!

Don't have a clue if that's anything to do with Metro North though.

EDIT, I can't find it either on google maps!!

I can't remember EXACTLY, if it was on the footpath right by the railings or if it was further in away from the railings (like where the van is parked on street view), but next I'm up there (which isn't that often), I promise I'll look for it and post a picture of the outline. It's difficult to make out on street view, as I can't get into the right position to see it anyway.

Tabnabs · 20-09-2012 2:39pm

Merrion Square, the hill in the south east corner, bunker or urban legend? I only heard about it recently.

There's also the very hush hush feasibility test conducted by a semi state body where their facility was powered by a nuclear fuel cell...

jsn.peters · 20-09-2012 2:47pm

Tabnabs wrote: »

Merrion Square, the hill in the south east corner, bunker or urban legend? I only heard about it recently.

There's also the very hush hush feasibility test conducted by a semi state body where their facility was powered by a nuclear fuel cell...

V Interesting

dogmatix · 21-09-2012 12:32am

Tabnabs wrote: »

Merrion Square, the hill in the south east corner, bunker or urban legend? I only heard about it recently.

Supposed to be an old WW2 air raid shelter.

Other secret installations: a number of semi-underground public toilets (now closed and locked). There is one at college green opposite the Westin hotel and another near Kevin street.

There is also a strange installation at the top of the Kellystown road near the three rock - it is a grassy mound with what looks like a small chimney or vent pipe on it. The thing is surrounded by a tall fence with barbed wire on it. I always assumed it was some sort of secret nuclear bunker for the pampered county councillers.

Any secret installations in Ireland?

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