THE anniversary of the British army's handover of the Victoria Barracks in Cork to the predecessors of the Irish Army 75 years ago was commemorated yesterday at Collins Barracks.
Among those at the ceremony were 40 relatives of members of the First and Second Battalions of the Cork No 1 Brigade of the IRA, who took over the barracks on May 16th, 1922.
GOC Southern Command, Brig Gen David Taylor, paid tribute to the men of Cork No 1 Brigade as he recalled the handover of the barracks.
At 7 p.m. on the evening of May 16th, the last 400 British soldiers marched out of the barracks, on to the Old Youghal Road and down Summerhill to embark on the SS Classic, he said.
It marked the end of 116 years of occupation of the barracks by the British army and the end of 750 years of British garrisons in Cork, he noted.
Among those involved in drawing up the evacuation was Major Bernard Montgomery of the 47th Brigade - later a field marshall and the victor at El Alamein, he pointed out.
The raising of the Tricolour was reenacted yesterday before the Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, Senator Denis Cregan, local dignitaries and the families of the Old IRA men.
Members of the 4th Infantry Battalion paraded with the band of the Southern Command and members of the FCA and the Organisation of National ExServicemen.
Also attending were UN veterans - and Brig Gen Taylor paid tribute to those from the barracks who lost their lives in peace keeping duties with the United Nations.
Mr Cregan said the ceremony was a particular honour for him, as one of his relatives had brought in the new tricolour for the barracks back in 1922.
Hundreds of visitors later enjoyed an open day at the barracks where they were able to visit the museum and inspect the Army's latest equipment.