Mahon Road Barracks Explained

Mahon Road Barracks
Type:Barracks
Map Type:Northern Ireland
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Northern Ireland
Location:Portadown, Northern Ireland
Ownership:Ministry of Defence
Built:1972
Used:1972-2007

The Mahon Road Barracks was a military installation in Portadown, Northern Ireland.

History

The barracks were built on the Mahon Road in Portadown in 1972 to accommodate the 11th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment and were originally dubbed "Fort Mahon".[1] In February 1974 the barracks also became the Headquarters for 3rd Infantry Brigade where the brigade's units included, along with Brigade Staff, 174 (Provost) Company, Royal Military Police.[2]

The barracks were also the home of G Squadron, 22nd SAS Regiment and were the centre of many of their operations in Northern Ireland including the interception of eight members of a Provisional Irish Republican Army team at Loughgall RUC Barracks in 1987;[3] G Squadron operated under the working name of 4 Field Survey Troop, Royal Engineers.[4]

3rd brigade was moved to Drumadd Barracks in Armagh in 1988 during a restructuring of land forces in Northern Ireland.[5] In July 2000 the barracks were used by the security forces during the Drumcree conflict.[6]

The barracks were closed in January 2007.[7] The adjacent site to the South has since been marketed as a private housing development under the name "Maghon Park".[8]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Barracks: The History Behind Those Names (Part 4). 12 October 2014.
  2. Web site: 174 (Provost) Company, RMP . Ministry of Defence . 12 October 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120901184602/http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/proRmpUnit_174_3rmp.pdf . 1 September 2012 .
  3. Web site: Ten cases of special forces in action. BBC News. 5 May 2011. 12 October 2014.
  4. Dillion, p. 164
  5. Potter, p. 309
  6. Web site: Drumcree Footage. July 2000. Imperial War Museum. 12 October 2014.
  7. Web site: Jobs go as NI Army bases to close. BBC. 10 May 2006. 12 October 2014.
  8. Web site: Clendinning at Maghon Park. 12 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141026095340/http://www.thepropertyspot.co.uk/clendinning.pdf. 26 October 2014. dead. dmy-all.