| Ebrington Barracks | |
|---|---|
| Derry,Northern Ireland | |
 Ebrington Barracks | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Barracks |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |  British Army |
| Location | |
  Ebrington Barracks Location within Northern Ireland | |
| Coordinates | 54°59′54″N7°18′39″W / 54.99834°N 7.31083°W /54.99834; -7.31083 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1841 |
| In use | 1841–2002 |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 8 Infantry Brigade |
Ebrington Barracks was a military installation on the east bank of theRiver Foyle inDerry,Northern Ireland.
The present barracks, named afterHugh Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington (later Earl Fortescue), were built on the site in 1841.[1]
At the start of theFirst World War, the barracks were occupied by 1st BattalionCheshire Regiment who proceeded toFrance with theExpeditionary Force and landed atle Havre on 16 August 1914.[2]
At the start of theSecond World War the barracks were home to 2nd Battalion, theSouth Wales Borderers, before they were mobilised.[3] During the latter part of the War part of the base was handed over toRoyal Navy to becomeHMS Ferret.[1] Munitions were stored at NAD Kilnappy and fuel at a fuel farm at Lisahally.[4]
Duringthe Troubles the barracks were the base of8 Infantry Brigade.[5] In March 1973 theProvisional IRA bombed the compound causing damage but no injuries.[6] On the 11 January 1974 theOfficial Irish Republican Army killed two civilians who worked as contractors for the British Army when they exploded a bomb under their car as they left the barracks.[7] On 14 December 1993: two soldiers were wounded by a trip wire bomb blast in a fence at a railway bordering the facilities.[8][9][10]
In April 2000 theReal Irish Republican Army lowered a device consisting of 5 lb of homemade explosives over theperimeter fence using ropes, and the bomb subsequently exploded damaging the fence and the guardhouse.[11] Then in January 2001 the Real Irish Republican Army were responsible for a mortar attack on the barracks: one mortar landed inside the perimeter fence of the base after being fired from a parked van but no one was injured.[12]
The barracks were closed when 8 Infantry Brigade moved toShackleton Barracks in 2003 and the area in front of the barracks was redeveloped asEbrington Square in 2011.[1] ThePeace Bridge, built across the River Foyle between the main part of the city on the West and Ebrington Square on the East, was opened in June 2011.[13]