Gormanston Camp
| Gormanston Camp | |
|---|---|
| Campa Rinn Mhic Ghormáin | |
| Gormanston, County Meath | |
Disused airfield at Gormanston Camp
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|
 Gormanston Camp
Location within Ireland
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| Coordinates | 53°38′39″N 6°14′06″W / 53.64410°N 6.23500°WCoordinates: 53°38′39″N 6°14′06″W / 53.64410°N 6.23500°W |
| Type | Barracks |
| Site information | |
| Operator |
 Irish Army
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| Site history | |
| Built | 1917 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1917-Present |
Gormanston Camp (Irish: Campa Rinn Mhic Ghormáin) is a military camp in Ireland and consists of approximately 260 acres. It is used for air-ground and air-defence training. It is located between Balbriggan and Drogheda along the east coastline of Ireland in County Meath in close proximity to the M1 Motorway and Gormanston railway station.
The camp started life as a Royal Flying Corps training depot as RFC Gormanston during the First World War in 1917. On 1 April 1918 the RFC was amalgamated with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force and the airfield became RAF Station Gormanston. After the end of the War the aerodrome there started to be wound down, so by the end of January 1920. The remaining aircraft were transferred to RAF Baldonnel Aerodrome and the station was placed under care and maintenance by a team of 37 officers and airmen.
The Irish War of Independence did not have any effect on the winding down of Gormanston, as aircraft were not deemed to be of any use to the guerrilla type of war that was taking place. From August 1920 to August 1922 Gormanston was used by the Royal Irish Constabulary Black and Tans as a sub-depot for the training of new recruits, and as well as a despatch centre to send Black and Tans all over the country. The officers were responsible for a policy of drunken violence - Irishmen all - beating up local catholic communities.Macready's deputy, Andy Cope visited Gormanston himself and Balbriggan after the outrages; he and Sir Mark Sturgis concluded that the RIC was not out of control, but the reprisals was the fault of poor leadership from the officers, lack of training and drill.
The camp was also used at this time as an internment camp for Republican prisoners. After the Treaty of 14 January 1922, Gormanstown became the main demobilisation centre for the Black and Tans.
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