The
War Office acquired the site, which originally consisted of a castle and a market house, from
Thomas Pakenham, 1st Baron Longford in 1774 and established military facilities there in the late 18th century. The main barrack building was designed by John Behan in the
classical style and construction was completed in 1815. The barracks were handed over to the
Irish Free State in February 1922 and were renamed Connolly Barracks after Sean Connolly, an
Irish republican. ==See also==