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McKee Barracks, originally called Marlborough Barracks was built by the British Army in 1888. When Ireland became the Irish Free State in 1922, the British gave the barracks to the Irish forces.

This video is designed as a resource for primary and post-primary students up to Junior Certificate.

McKee Barracks, Cabra

Did you know that 862 horses once lived in Cabra? They lived at McKee Barracks, so when you stand beside the barracks, you stand beside a lot of horses and a lot of history.

A barracks is a place where soldiers stay. At the time when the barracks was built the soldiers all fought on horseback and so they needed a place where they could keep their horses.

McKee Barracks was built by the British army. They started to build it in 1888 and it took them four years and a lot of bricks to finish it. The barracks was called Marlborough Barracks at first.

When Ireland became the Irish Free State in 1922, the British Army gave the barracks to the Irish Forces. In 1926 the name of the barracks was changed to McKee after Richard McKee who was a very brave man. Richard McKee was born in Finglas. He fought in the War of Independence and was captured by the British Army on Bloody Sunday, the 21 November 1920. That day was called “Bloody Sunday” because more than thirty people were killed in the Irish War of Independence on that day. Richard McKee was shot in Dublin Castle while trying to escape. You can find out more about him when you read about the McKee Memorial in Finglas. 

Today, McKee Barracks is still used by the Irish Army. The soldiers go to countries where wars are taking place and help with peacekeeping.

The army still keeps horses at McKee, though not as many. These horses are not used for war. They take part in horse shows both in Ireland and abroad. It takes a lot of work caring for all the horses: almost three hundred wheelbarrows of manure are taken from the stables every week.