‘No British troops in southern Ireland’ by end of the week as Irish forces take over Curragh Camp
The Curragh, 17 May 1922 – The Curragh military camp in Co. Kildare has been handed over to the control of Irish Free State forces.
The transfer of control yesterday from representatives of the British army to those of the Free State – many of whom had been interned there during the struggle for independence – was low-key and was notable for absence of any significant fanfare or ceremony. The only witnesses were a small group of journalists and cameramen under the care of Desmond Fitzgerald, Minister for Publicity in the Provisional Government and an ex-internee himself.
Handing over on behalf of the British authorities was Lt. Col. Sir Francis Dalrymple and accepting on behalf of the Irish Free State was General J.J. O'Connell.
The transfer took only a half an hour and when it was complete, a tricolour was raised from the water tower and saluted by the Irish officers.
The handing-over of the Curragh. Left - Colonel Dalrymple, who handed the Curragh to Major General O'Connell, of the I.R.A (centre). [Image, Irish Life, 3 June 1922]
The Curragh is one of the largest military establishments in Britain and Ireland. The camp was the scene of the infamous ‘mutiny’ of 1913 when a number of officers threatened to resign rather than force Ulster unionists to accept Home Rule. It is planned that the barracks will be used as a training school for the Irish army.
With Portobello Barracks in Dublin scheduled to be handed over to Irish control today and the same happening at Victoria Barracks in Cork tomorrow, the presence of the British army in Ireland is diminishing.
Speaking in Westminster last night, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Sir Hamar Greenwood indicated that by the end of this week, there will be ‘no British troops in southern Ireland... except in Dublin and in the coast defences.’
British Pathé footage of the evacuation of Ireland, where 60,000 British troops left for England
[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]
