The passing of the FCA
The headquarters of the East Cork FCA unit (C company 23rd battalion) was based at the Sluagh Hall, Midleton. A former training centre for the volunteer force opened by An Taoiseach, Eamon de Valera in July 1938 after taking over the harbour forts (Spike Island, Fort Camden, Fort Templebreedy, Fort Carlisle, Fort Davis) from the British in 1938. It was also a recruiting base for the East Cork area with centres in Midleton, Youghal, Cloyne, Killeagh, Glounthaune and Midleton CBS.
The unit achieved unprecedented success in shooting and orienteering, winning brigade, command, all army competitions (rifle Bren gun, submachine gun) on a regular basis and taking national FCA orienteering honours in every command area of the defence forces, resulting in two team members representing the defence forces at the British Army orienteering planners course, held in Longmoor Camp in Hampshire UK 2005.
The company were very fortunate to have on their doorstep excellent training facilities. A 300 yard rifle Bren gun range at Red Barn, Youghal by the sea. A miniature .22 indoor range at the Sluagh Hall. Behind the hall there was a green training area where grenade throwing was practised. The Argus 69 HE grenade replacing the WW2 Mills 36 HE grenade. In 1976, personnel from the unit were part of the battalion team who were the first formation of the 19,000 strong FCA volunteer force, to throw the live Argus 69 HE grenade (4 second time fuse) in Kilworth grenade range during a visit by the chief of staff, Major General Carl O’Sullivan.
Inside the Sluagh Hall building, you also had a state-of-the-art drill hall which was also lined for basketball, volleyball, badminton, indoor football and was always in use. The St Mary’s Highschool All-Ireland volleyball team trained in the hall, as also did The Hunters basketball team (local FCA and local Gardaí). The hall was placed out as a self-sufficient military HQ with a lecture room and sand table, a strong room, a training office, an administration and logistics office (A and Q), a clothing store, a stage and boxing ring, a fuel store, a kitchen, showers and toilets.
In 1977 the battalion got permission from operations Southern Command to train FCA personnel in operations in aid of the civil power and at annual camp that summer, 40 persons were training in Kilworth on riot drills; military and police role, the first FCA unit to be trained in internal security operations. Two years later, in 1979, the battalion became the first unit of the FCA to fire the French 81mm Brandt mortar, following the tragedy in 1977 in the Glen of Imaal - where 4 members of the Cork 4th Battalion were killed in mortar training - testing out a new syllabus of training and revised mortar drills.
Young entry FCA were taught the skills of orienteering with map and compass in the various woods and forests around East Cork. Ballyannon, the Curragh Wood, Saleen, Rostellan, Glenbower and Watergrasshill. Field craft and endurance training was also practised in the
Ballyannon and Curragh Wood area. Support weapon training (81mm Brandt mortar and 84mm Carl Gustav MAW - Swedish and French weapon systems) took place in an old unoccupied coastal defence artillery fort at the mouth of Cork Harbour, near Fort David, Whitegate, with stunning views of the old harbour defences and the coastal path from the Fort leading to White Bay and its beach. Trabolgan holiday centre just down the road.
The general manager, a former senior NCO from the AGs branch (who was this writer’s boss for 3 years), making it a forces friendly area and many enjoyable nights were had in Lower Aghada, Whitegate, Guileen, the refinery club. Recruiting and schoolboys camps were held there, along with weapon courses, summer and winter camps and parades.
The unit also travelled outside their area for training and camps were held in Fermoy, Kilworth, Lahinch and Tralee. The camp staff at Fitzgerald and Lynch Camp were always very helpful with the squadron, facilitating the training of the unit Gustav machine gun team (which later won the All-Army FCA shoot) and assisted in coaching a premier unit of the army.
In 1995 and 1998, members of the unit took part as extras in the Hollywood blockbusters ‘Braveheart’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’, shot on the plains of the Curragh and Curracloe beach, Wexford. 1,000 FCA involved in the making of the films, but not even Mel Gibson or Tom Hanks or the Hollywood connection could save the FCA and D-Day came in 2005 when the entire force were transferred to the new army reserve.
Five years later, the Sluagh Hall was put up for sale and eventually bought by an investor with planning for apartments, but remains idle with no building work commencing as of yet - Sluagh Hall, however, is currently under demolition (October 2023).
And finally, the fort was used by the army for FIBUA (fighting in a built-up area) on occasions, but remains unoccupied.
AN FÓRSA COSANTA AITIÚIL
Long summer days with
bugle calls
The sound of marching men In Cork and Clare and
Kerry too
Fort Davis and the Glen The troops would train in
summer sun
On mortar, gun and Bren And on the square from
Cork to Clare
Practised Lee Enfield drill.
The bugle calls would tell
them all
The routine of the day
Fall in, march on, the cook
house call,
The Angelus they’d say,
Sun down. Flag down. Turn
out the guard,
Lights out, it’s end of day. But word came down from
Dublin town
‘We want you troops no
more”
Your job is done and you
had some fun
Goodbye and close the door. 2,000 troops on the border loop from Louth to Donegal
We’ll post you out without
a doubt
And sell your barracks all.
And now the FCA are gone,
replaced by the reserve From 19,000 troops or more, Just 1,000 now will serve
All the halls are empty now Most of them sold off
And what remains in the
Government’s name
Are in a terrible rot.
The mohair suits have had
their way
Without firing a single shot. They say old soldiers never
die
They only fade away.
Our Bugler did just that
And played ‘til his final day. In 40 years from boy to man He sounded the noble calls. Army massed bands, city hall, old IRA, chiefs of staff,
He played for them all
And each year for Dripsey
Ambush
The committee would give
a call.
At times on early mornings I pass the old Sluagh Hall The place is so run-down
now
It’s hard to believe it all That thousands from East
Cork, Midleton
And Youghal
Volunteered, took the oath And marched in its drill
hall.
Our bugler played the sad
farewell,
Last Post, Reveille and
Tattoo
His music seemed to climb
the clouds
High over the Sluagh Hall
too.
And from Broderick Street The sound of feet
The ghosts of marching
men.
The boys of the old IRA
brigade.
I was honoured to have
known some of them But alas indeed no tardy
trumpet call
Can bring the vanished
legions
Back again.