The Siren on the Water Tower

[andybrennan]

I was coming out of the Curragh Post Office about a week ago when the siren went off ,
firstly it brought back loads of memories of when I lived and soldiered on the Camp, The way lads would scurry to their posts around the Camp takng up their positions. The times it signaled pay time rather fond of that one, and when I was a boy and th lads flying around studded boots sending sparks as they flew to their posts and also all the times we ended up in the Gym on stand by etc when the marches were on to the prison etc. alas this time quite as the grave not a movement a well times are a changing. but nice to hear it again as it did evoke memories from slumber
Andy

[tommyhetherington]

Hi Andy,
I rem as a child when the siren was activated we would sit at the top of Mc Donagh and watch the organised chaos unfold as the camp was closed down, it was later after joining the army I learned that the wider local area became part of the drill where we would spend a few Hrs guarding roads.
I rem one summer evening well after six and any mass time that the church bell began to ring and did not stop. We thought poor Peter Hickey was gone mad and ran to investigate the mystery.An Officer emerged from the bell tower after about 20 mins or so and explained the mystery.He had to do this as the general alarm in the event of the siren giving up the ghost.
Drama over back home to bed.

Tommy H

[andybrennan]

Hi Mary and Tommy glad that little old siren jogged a few memories.

Who gets the honour of the big clean up after the visitors leave the camp hint hint

[Joey Kelly]

Hi all.
That old Siren. Often remember the pictures in the Curragh and Elvis doing his thing on the Silver Screen. Off goes the siren and the mad scurry of all the Soldiers in civilians and uniform heading back to Barracks. It appears that a few prisoners did'nt enjoy the food in the hospital and scarpered, or perhaps the Bag of Rags doing her evening rounds. It was to sound on many an occasion when the internment camp was in operation. There were a few alarms dotted around the Camp and often sounded off together in tandem.

All those that were away welcome back, and going Bon Voyage.


Regards

Joey

[maryb51]

Hi Joey,
I see your still a guest, if you like you could ring me and i will try and talk you through it, my no is 086 4090803.
mary

[rose5mcdonaghtce]

Hi Mary and Joey,

Welcome home Joey, am sure you are delighted with the weather!!

Tell me this do they still test the siren at 11 am on a Friday morning, loved to hear it in school on a Frdiay meant Irish was over and we could go out to play, also when I was very young thought it was the signal for the men to line up to get paid.

Can remember well the amount of times it went off when the lads were in the hospital and having to have our passes ready to get by the barriers.

Do they still close the roads off once a year?

Another question: Can just about remember when the Church was opened and my Mother's mother coming up for one of her many holidays, and setting off to see the new Church, many hours and hours I spent there with her. Anyway I digress, I can remember Mam telling her all about the church and the grand opening and blessings, can remember her saying when it was sanctified there was some part of the ceremony left out, it being a Garrison Church and in danger of being blitzed. The only blitz it has had so far was the snowballs in the big freeze early sixties. Any idea about this blessing or whatever Mam was talking about, was very young at the time could have misheard.

Regards to all.

Rose.

[maryb51]

Hi Rose, and joey,
No the siren doesn't go off every friday like it used to, it goes off occasionally, i don't know for what reason, and they still close off the roads once a year, thats one thing that hasn't changed in the curragh. I can't remember anything about the blessing you mentioned, like that i was young when the new church opened. Bye for now mary.