Another 150 troops relocate to Custume Barracks

Some 151 additional troops will arrive at Custume Barracks in Athlone today (Wednesday) bringing the strength of the barracks to 911, following the closure of Dún Uí Neill Barracks in Cavan and Columb Barracks in Mullingar. A total of 126 troops from the 4th Field Artillery Regiment (FAR), who had previously been based in Mullingar, will arrive at Custume Barracks today. They will drive in convoy across the bridge of Athlone before driving into Custume Barracks where they will take a salute from the Barrack Commander Lt Col Pat Ryan. The Officer Commanding the 4th FAR is Lt Col Ray Yorke and the Regimental Sgt is Noel O'Callaghan. Before arriving at Custume Barracks this afternoon a lowering of the flag ceremony will be held in Mullingar, where the 4th FAR has been based since 1943. The arrival of the troops from Cavan will be a somewhat more low-key affair. Yesterday (Tuesday) the lowering of the flag took place in Cavan and just 25 troops from A Company 6th Infantry Battalion will be redeployed to Custume Barracks, where they will join the rest of the battalion, which was already based in Athlone. The majority of the 80 troops who had been based in Cavan are being redeployed to other barracks, at their own requests. A Company 6th Infantry Battalion has been based at Custume Barracks in the past and today they will join the other companies in the battalion - B Company; Support and HQ Company. The keys to Dún Uí Neill in Cavan will be handed over to the Department of Defence today, while the keys to Columb Barracks will be handed over to the department tomorrow.