Lenan Head Fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lenan Head Fort |
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| County Donegal Ireland |
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Positions for 9.2-inch Breech Loading guns at Lenan Head Fort
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 Lenan Head Fort
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| Coordinates | 55°14′49″N 7°31′55″W / 55.247°N 7.532°W |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
Accessible |
| Condition | Intact |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1895-1900 |
| Materials | Concrete Earth |
Lenan Head Fort is an old military fort located in County Donegal, Ireland. It sits on a headland overlooking Lough Swilly. This fort was built between 1895 and 1900 to protect the coast.
It was first equipped with three large 9.2-inch guns. These were powerful guns designed to fire shells over long distances. Later, around 1911, these were updated to two newer, more powerful Mark X 9.2-inch guns. These guns were ready for action during the First World War.
A Special Agreement: The Treaty Port
On December 6, 1921, an important agreement called the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed. This treaty led to the creation of the Irish Free State on December 6, 1922.
The treaty included a special rule. The British government would keep control over three very important ports in Ireland. These were known as the Treaty Ports. Lenan Head Fort, as part of the defences of Lough Swilly, was one of these areas. The British kept these forts on a "care and maintenance" basis. This meant they looked after them but didn't use them actively.
Handover to Ireland
All of these defence sites were fully given back to the Republic of Ireland in 1938. The last British soldiers left Lenan Head Fort on October 10, 1938.
During the Second World War, the Irish Army used the fort. The Irish coast artillery service, which looked after these big guns, was stopped in 1952. The guns at Lenan Head Fort were removed and scrapped in the 1950s.
Lenan Head Fort is a unique British fort because it was built quite late. It has strong concrete structures called caponiers. These are part of a large ditch system that goes up the hill to the headland.
