Mulgrave Barracks
Co. Kerry.

Documenting our Heritage

The Mulgrave Barracks were built by the Earl of Kenmare to house members of the Royal Irish Constabulary on the edge of his Kenmare Estate.

Despite significant rural unrest and land agitation in Kerry during the nineteenth century, the purpose of the barracks was not the protection of the local inhabitants but the protection of the Earl's deer from poachers.

The barracks housed eight members of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Local lore states that while the men stationed at the barracks patrolled the area keeping a careful lookout for poachers, the men had in fact dug themselves a pit at the back of barracks which was covered in branches in order to trap deer; it is said they regularly dined on venison.

Lewis records the barracks in his 1837 Topographical Directory 'a chief constabulary police force stationed here; the barrack for which, is a neat square building, with an octagonal turret at each of the two opposite angled, forming an ornamental feature among the beautiful scenery around it'

Johann Kohl, the German travel writer, historian and geographer also mentions the barracks after his 1836 visit to Ireland 'We visited the police station, which was built on the fine new road between Killarney and Kenmare and found a new, handsome, spacious building that at a distance looked like a little castle'

The barracks were occupied until 1920 when the IRA began to target members of the Royal Irish Constabulary located in isolated barracks. Following its abandonment the barracks were burnt out and destroyed to prevent reoccupation.

The Royal Irish Constabulary was disbanded in 1922 after the formation of the Irish Free State.

This article is the copyright of Tarquin Blake, Abandoned Ireland, and may not be reproduced in any form without permission.