A “deteriorated” Co Down replica Army hut with links to a former Taoiseach and a Hollywood star could be rescued from being demolished amid a council U-turn.
The Ballykinlar ‘Armstrong Hut’ was recreated at the Down Museum in October 2021 as part of the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) shared history project supported by over €150k of EU Peace IV funding.
The hut located at Down County Museum was due to be dismantled, but the council is now seeking expressions of interest to remove it for public display to another NMDDC site by the end of the 2024/25 financial year.
Rowallane SDLP councillor, Terry Andrews who has campaigned for the protection of the Ballykinlar hut, said: “This is brilliant news for the Ballykinlar hut and hope that an organisation will come forward who will now be able to preserve the hut for future generations.
“The hut had originally been created as a temporary structure with a limited lifespan and was due to be dismantled.
“I am glad now that the council will look to preserve what has become a popular attraction with so much significant history attached to it.”
The links to British and Irish history were key to the development of the replica structure
The original ‘Armstrong’ huts, since demolished at Ballykinlar Army barracks, were also used to train soldiers ahead of the Battle of the Somme as well as American GIs during World War II.
Former Taoiseach Sean Lemass was interned at Ballykinlar during the 1920s as well as the huts being used as internment camps of the Hooded Men in 1971.
Many of the artefacts on display in the replica hut were donated to the project, including a chess set used in 1921 and owned by interned prisoner Michael Phelan, the uncle of Hollywood actor Martin Sheen.
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A NMDDC report this week read:” The council would like to find a suitable organisation to remove and relocate the Ballykinlar hut from the Down County Museum, Downpatrick to ensure its ongoing public benefit to residents and visitors to the NMDDC area.
“Preference will be given to parties who are able to find a future purpose for both the structure and its contents. Parties interested in contents only will not be considered eligible.”
The council had previously agreed in June 2023 to “appoint a contractor to dismantle the deteriorated hut and only retain the contents and displays for future exhibitions”.
The council is to seek expressions of interest for the Ballykinlar hut from November 18.