An almost forgotten army barracks now in ruin and a prominently located 50-acre development site in the centre of Kildare town are to be offered for sale by auction next February on the instructions of the Department of Defence.
Joint agents Lisney and Conway Auctioneers are guiding €2 million for the former Magee Barracks and the unusually large site which is expected to accommodate a new neighbourhood community within close proximity of the town centre.
The sale is likely to be of interest to local developers as well as some of the newly emerging housebuilding firms interested in developing on a regional basis once the appropriate sites are available at acceptable valuations.
Kildare is within the Dublin commuter belt because of its location within 25 minutes’ drive of the Red Cow Interchange along the M7 motorway from Dublin to Limerick.
Kildare planners will be anxious that the best use should be made of the site because of its strategic location.
For that reason a fairly broad zoning has already been adopted which will provide for employment, residential, educational and community use, cultural facilities as well as marking the military history of the site and the urban fabric of the town.
Kildare town is frequently seen as the capital of Ireland's bloodstock industry with numerous horse training yards, the Curragh racecourse close by along with the Irish National Stud and Horse Museum.
The town also has the hugely successful Kildare Outlet Centre which was recently enlarged to accommodate an ever increasing number of mainly fashion outlets. The local population is around 8,412.
The existing barracks buildings are derelict and, according to the selling agents, none of the buildings are of any architectural merit with the exception of the Officers Mess which is earmarked for retention under the local area plan. The Department of Defence has already handed over an eight-acre site to accommodate a new primary school.
The Kildare barracks was built in 1900 on the site of the former Lock Hospital. The 31st and 33rd Brigades were the first army divisions to be stationed there along with the Royal Field Artillery.
All of them served in the first World War. After the War of Independence and the signing of the treaty, British troops moved out and they were later followed by the Irish Artillery Corp which consisted of five officers, 18 NCOs and 93 gunners. A new barracks was built on site in 1938 and was named after gunner James Magee, formerly of the Mayo Militia, who switched sides and raised the Irish flag at the Battle of Ballinamuck in September 1798. Magee was later captured and executed by British forces.
The barracks eventually closed in 1998.
