Field Trip to Defence Forces Training Centre 21 April 2022
On 21 April, as part of its 2022 programme of events and with the approval of Brigadier-General Brendan McGuinness, the Artillery Club visited the Ordnance Base Workshops and viewed the conservation and restoration of the Civil War 18pdr, availed of Ceannt Officer’s Mess for lunch, and thereafter visited the Curragh Military Museum. Col Seamus McDermott (Retd) was the event coordinator for the Artillery Club’s Committee
18-pounder Mark II QF Field Gun – Ordnance Base Workshops
Pursuant to its objectives, the Artillery Club conveys its appreciation to the Defence Forces for the acquisition, recovery, initial storage, followed by the professional conservation and restoration of the 18-pounder Mark II QF Field Gun, Serial Number 9168, with its distinctive type of recoil system, currently located in Ordnance Base Workshops, Defence Forces Training Centre, The Curragh.
Through contemporary research, efforts are being made to identify the actual Serial Numbers of all of the four Field Guns which were deployed at the Four Courts. Apparently, the Mark II 18-pounder that fired the first round on 28 June had the Serial Number 10756. It is highly likely that the irreplaceable Field Gun, Serial Number 9168, was one of the four Field Guns deployed at the Four Courts.
During its visit to Ordnance Base Workshops, Comdt Richard Piggot welcomed members of the Artillery Club and provided an overview of the Workshops’ outputs. Sgt Robert Delaney provided the attendees with a compressive overview of the conservation and restoration of the Civil War 18-pounder.
The Artillery Club’s President availed of the opportunity of saluting the considerable research, and significant conservation and restoration work undertaken in the Workshops since 2017 by Capt Daithí O’Flynn, and Armament Artificers Sgt Robert Delaney (i/c Project), Sgt Cregan and Sgt Sexton, under the guidance of Comdt Stephan Mac Eoin, Defence Forces Heritage Officer, Comdt Lar Joye (Army Reserve) Artillery Club Committee, and assisted by Mr Sven Habermann.
Curragh Military Museum
One of the Artillery Club’s prescribed objectives is to support military and regimental museums, in the acquisition, preservation, maintenance and display of Artillery weapons, equipment, material and artefacts. In this regard, the Club remains proactive in its support to the Curragh Military Museum,
The Artillery Club has established a Working Group, under the leadership of Col Brian O’Connor (Retd), which engages with Lt Col Des Healy the museum’s curator, providing technical and historical advice, and coordinates the required work to achieve identified objectives within the domain of the Artillery Display, including weapons and equipment.
During 2017, under the auspices of the Artillery Club, the restored main gates of Magee Barracks were placed on permanent display in the museum. Likewise, the Artillery Club secured the loan of one of the surviving Morris Commercial CDSW Quad 6×6 Gun Towers, from the 19 original tractors which went into service in 1938, and paid for its transportation from England, for display in the museum, with its original registration plate ZC 5835.
On arrival at the Curragh Military Museum, the Artillery Club was welcomed by its Curator – Private Garry Rice, following which he provided an overview of the history of The Curragh, and thereafter he conducted the attendees on a comprehensive tour of the museum’s impressive galleries and vehicle displays, culminating with a visit to the Artillery Display.
Photographs courtesy of Lieutenant Tom Mulrooney (Retd), Commandant Eoin O’Curry (Retd) and Brigadier-General Paul Pakenham (Retd).
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