This book explores the military life and experiences of the gunners
stationed in Ireland's Kildare Barracks over the course of almost 100
years while it was under both British and Irish military commands. Built
in 1901 to train British artillery brigades for service in the Boer War,
and closed in 1998, the barracks provides an exceptional spotlight for
the local history of County Kildare and the military history of
20th-century Ireland. Through numerous personal histories, the book
reflects upon the importance of the barracks in shaping the activity and
development of the county. These tales - both informative and touching -
provide a means of examining landmarks in Irish and international
20th-century history, including the Curragh Mutiny, World War I, the
Irish War of Independence, the Irish Civil War and the Emergency - while
telling the story of a national military institution and the personnel
who passed through. The fascinating personal histories offer poignant
reflections on those who served at the barracks.