LITMIR.BIZ

      Preface

      by Maurice Sweeney

      The Curragh of Kildare has, for a long time, held a special place in the Irish imagination, secured there first of all by the unique geographical nature of its vast sward of common pasturage. Its significance has been reinforced more recently by the presence of two establishments that each represents an important aspect of Irish life: the Curragh Racecourse, the spiritual home of an ancient and world-famous horse-breeding industry, and the Curragh Military Camp which, to the lay person at least, is synonymous with all things soldierly and represents the long military tradition of which this country can boast, whether in the service of others or fighting for ourselves. It is with the story of the military camp that this book is concerned, a story that is inextricably entangled with the story of Ireland itself. The benefits of the Curragh as a training ground − as well as an excellent position for a garrison in a troublesome country – had no doubt appealed to the British army for a long time, but it was not until the early 1850s, with the outbreak of the Crimean war, that the first move was made to establish a permanent presence.

      Since then, the shape of the camp and the functions it carries out have been determined by the exigencies of the time. It has played a central role in troubled times, during the Great War and the struggle for independence, when facing the fear of invasion and preserving the state from domestic enemies; in its modern-day guise it trains and equips the Defence Forces as they fulfil their obligations as international peacekeepers.

      Dan Harvey brings his skills as a military historian, and his experience as an officer, to bear in telling the camp’s story in a thorough and entertaining fashion. And, as he points out, the story is not just one of bricks and mortar, but of the living essence of the camp in the shape of those who have served there and those who have worked there as civilians, creating a community unparalleled in any other part of Ireland. Reorganization and new training, operational, logistical and administrative needs have meant the camp maintains a vital role as a military campus at a time when the task of international peacekeeping demands the best possible training to produce men and women whose leadership skills and personal attributes continue to contribute to global stability and earn accolades for this country.