Special commemorative event today marks 100 years of Irish military activity at Finner Camp 

Today is a very special day for the people of the north west and those attached to or linked with the 28th Infantry battalion at  Finner Camp in Donegal. A special Mass in Bundoran this morning will be followed by a march of Defence Force personnel through the town, with other commemorative events later taking place at Finner Camp itself.

One hundred years ago on this day, British military forces surrendered Finner Camp to the Irish military forces, following the War of Independence and following on from the signing of the Anglo Irish treaty, some two months earlier.

DONEGAL DEMOCRAT ADVERT FROM FEBRUARY 1922 OF THE AUCTION THAT WAS LATER CANCELLED AT A VERY LATE STAGE AFTER THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT INTERVENED

That fateful day was February 17, 1922 and to mark this pivotal centenary in the Donegal of 2022, a number of events will coincide with that anniversary in Bundoran and Finner.

It is a remarkable fact that the tricolour has been raised and lowered each day at what is now Donegal’s only military barracks for every single day of those 100 years. 

The volatility of the time can be garnered when you try and examine the Donegal Democrat files from 1922, which are haphazard from this important period of history.

FINNER CAMP PICTURED THIS WEEK: PHOTO THOMAS GALLAGHER

A brief account of the handover event was recorded in the Derry People/Donegal News, but dated February 11, 2022.

“The Irish Provisional Government have taken over Finner Camp, lock stock and barrel. Finner, it will be remembered was the happy ground of Carson’s warriors, who spent the early days of the war (World War One) in waiting to see how long hostilities would last before they set out to capture the Kaiser. The Camp is to be used for training of Irish Army and Police Units for the Free State.”

The intent of the British to leave nothing behind saw the wide advertising of a big auction for the contents of the Finner canteen which was to take place on February 16, 1922 but at the very last moment, this was cancelled and the contents were purchased by the Provisional Irish government.  

The IRA unit which took over the Camp took the side of deValera, before they were ousted by the National Army of Collins at the end of June in a later attack.

There was one notable tragedy, Captain James Connolly, a member of anti treaty forces, whose own father had been shot by the Black and Tans just a couple of years earlier in Kinlough. Capt Connolly was one of the many casualties of the Civil War that sadly continued into 1923.     

To the present day

Today, OC of the 28 Inf Batt at Finner Camp is Lt Col Stephen Morgan. His command of the Camp is relevant on a number of levels as he also proudly served two years as a private before earning a cadetship with the Defence Forces.

OC OF THE 28 INF BATT LT COL STEPHEN MORGAN

Indeed, the Dublin native got his first posting as a commissioned Officer at Rockhill barracks and therefore he is the first serving OC of the camp that began his officer career with a Donegal posting to the the 28 Inf Batt as a Second lieutenant.

He has also proudly served his country on 11 overseas missions with the United Nations, in all four corners of the globe. 

Of today, he speaks of a poignant event that will commemorate every single deceased Irish soldier who has either served or been linked with Finner. He wants it to be all inclusive and relevant to all the families with links to Finner over those 100 years.  

It was one of the earlier camps that had been handed over by the British. 

He will speak today of that continuity of the Defence Forces since that handover of 100 years ago:

“As we commemorate this special date in our history, I am very conscious of the significance of Finner Camp and its link with the people of the North West Region. 

“It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the special link some of our guests have to those involved in the takeover and subsequent garrison of this Camp by Irish Forces 100 years ago. 

“In particular, I think I would be forgiven for highlighting the Units own link with the events of 1922 in the personage of Col Declan O’Carroll a former OC of the 28 Inf Bn, whose father Jack O’Carroll from Bundoran was the officer in charge of the Guard of Honour for the raising of the Irish tricolour in this Camp for the first time on this historic day 100 years ago.

“In upholding our military tradition the national flag is raised at first light and lowered at last light with honours as it has been every day since the 17th of February 1922.”

FINNER CAMP IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT EARLIER THIS WEEK 

Historic event not lost on soldiers

Speaking in advance of the event, he said that the importance and poignancy of the historic event was not lost on any of the current serving members of the 28th. 

“In 1994 when I was commissioned as an Officer, it was to Rockhill, so I am of the unit. Before moving to Leitrim I lived for 12 years in Letterkenny and even played a bit of hurling for St Eunan’s. I took over as OC here on August 31, 2020, so this will be a proud moment for all of us.” 

“The soldiers would be very conversant with the Camp’s history especially in this time when we are commemorating new beginnings and that Oglaigh na hÉireann have always steadfastly supported the State. At the time, it was ensuring that the roots of a fledgling state took hold. 

“Finner was extremely important in that. Then during the time of ‘the Emergency’ it was heavily occupied. There was the foundation of the Unit itself, the 28 Inf Batt and there were the years of the Troubles. Anty progression from the peace process, maybe our role with gardai has decreased thankfully, but heavily involved in the community in relation to weather events, be that Donegal, Sligo or Leitrim.

“Then of course, in the last two years we have been shoulder to shoulder with our colleagues in the HSE and other agencies in the fight against Covid. In Donegal we also will have an Air Corps element, weather permitting, to recognise their association here through their search and rescue role, while located here.

“We are very conscious of our history, we are of our community, we are involved in all facets of it and as we progress into the future, I hope that the military will continue to be an attractive career for both males and females with the latter having their own significant skills that we need,” he emphasised.      

“The links between the troops of 1922 and 2022 is our ethos of service. We are of the community of which we are extremely proud.” he concluded.