Jim Mansfield, Consulting Engineer (Blue Jacket), with Padraig Ó Dochartaigh (high vis), Rural Social Scheme. Above, the original markings to aid construction made on the blocks. Photos Uinsíonn Mac Graith. Click on images to view.

The Engineer and the Materials Required.

The building known locally as Teachaín a’ Watch (look-out post 63) collapsed during a severe storm on 21st October 2014, with all four walls crumbling and falling outwards like a deck of cards.

Sometime later, a group of people came together and decided that every effort should be made to reconstruct this building, which along with 82 similar structures along the coast, had served Ireland so well during the Second World War.

The reconstruction of Teachaín a’ Watch was a huge undertaking which involved careful planning, and advice on good practice from engineers such as Jim Mansfield ( Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners Consulting Engineers) and Eugene Maguire. Armed with the detailed building plans, and a recommended method of construction, the next question was how to implement it. In this regard the community was very fortunate to have the support and resources of the Cill Chomáin Rural Social Scheme with a team of dedicated workers ready to start work on the project.

One of the issues that arose early in the discussions was how the necessary building materials were going to be transported to the site of LOP63 on the remote headland of Barr na Rinne overlooking Portacloy Bay. A call was put out, and the Irish Air Corps rose to the challenge. Without their assistance it would not have been possible to move the project forward.

Le linn stoirme láidir ar an 21ú Deireadh Fómhair 2014 leagadh an foirgneamh Teachaín a’ Watch (Teach Faire 63) go talamh, áit ar thit na ceithre bhalla ar nós deic cártaí. 

Tamall ina dhiaidh sin, tháinig grúpa daoine le chéile agus rinneadh cinneadh go ndéanfar chuile iarracht an foirgneamh a ath-thógáil, mar aitheantas ar an ról tabhachtach a bhí aige, maraon le 82 foirgneamh mar é, i rith an Dara Chogadh Domhanda.

Ba fiontar mór a bhí ann, ag tógáil san áireamh mionphleanáil, agus comhairle ar dhea-chleachtais ó innealtóirí mar Jim Mansfield (Innealtóirí Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners) agus Eugene Maguire.  Agus na pleananna tógála mionsonraithe, maraon le modh tógála molta i lámha an ghrúpa, ba í an chéad cheist eile ná conas é a chur i bhfeidhm.  Ar an ábhar seo, bhí an t-ádh dearg ar an bpobal go raibh tacaíocht agus acmhainní Scéim Shóisialta Tuaithe Chill Chomáin le fáil, áit a raibh foireann dhíograiseach d’oibrithe réidh le dul i mbun oibre ar an togra.  

Ceann de na fadhbanna a tháinig chun solais go luath sa bplé ná conas na hábhair thógála riachtanacha a iompar go dtí suíomh Teach Faire 63 ar cheann tíre iargúlta Barr na Rinne os cionn Chuan Phort a’Chlóidh.  Rinneadh fiosrúcháin agus tháinig Aerchór na hÉireann i gcabhair an phobail agus thug a aghaidh ar an dúshlán.  Ach chomh beag sin, ní bheadh sé ar chumas an phobail an togra a chur i gcrích.