Ebrington Barracks

Ebrington Barracks was a military installation on the East of the River Foyle in Derry, Northern Ireland.

History
King James II built a star-shaped fort on the site from which he attacked Derry in 1689. The present barracks, named after Hugh Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington (later Earl Fortescue), were built on the site in 1841. The 27th Regiment of Foot and the 109th Regiment of Foot were originally based on the site.

During the Second World War the barracks were used by troops of the United States Army from 1941 and became the base the US Army's 10th Station Hospital from 1942. During the latter years of the War part of the base was handed over to Royal Navy and, under the name HMS Ferret, became a depot for ships refuelling and taking on munitions.

During the Troubles the barracks were the base of 8th Infantry Brigade and were also the northern area regional command headquarters. In April 2000 the Real Irish Republican Army lowered a device consisting of 5 lb of homemade explosives over the perimeter fence using ropes, and the bomb subsequently exploded damaging the fence and an unmanned guardhouse. 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.

The barracks were closed when 8th Infantry Brigade moved to Shackleton Barracks in 2003 and the area in front of the barracks was redeveloped as Ebrington Square in 2011. The Peace 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.