This is one of the few photographs taken at Teacháin a’ Watch that are still in existence. Dr Michael Kennedy, author of “Guarding Neutral Ireland” has commented on the image:
The picture of the LOP is gold dust. The worn soles of their boots with the studs, the Emergency-era army-issue binoculars in Tommy’s left hand and his forage cap. I wonder if he is the man outside on watch. Johnny isn’t wearing his cap and perhaps was on duty at the phone inside – the phone line pole is there in front of the hut. He looks like he had a wrist watch on his left hand. Perhaps the front windows are open as it looks as if the interior wall where the interior door is may be visible. They are pretty much the normal age for Coastwatchers – perhaps a little older than average. By the light on their faces would you say the sun is heading west, it is perhaps late afternoon? They’d have been on watch since 16.00 in that case. There’s a good bit of wear on the post – so might it be from mid-way through the war on? They aren’t new boots or uniforms! And they’ve had time to build that wall and for the wooden fence to be built.
From the Abstracts of Service documents for each of the Volunteers, supplied by Military Archives, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin, the following details can be found.
We can read that the men were aged from 35 to 45 years of age at the start of their service in 1939, that their heights varied from 5’9” to 5’11” among other details. Occupations were listed as Farmer, Fisherman, Rate-collector, Road-ganger, Labourer, Road-worker and Stonemason.
Helen Keogh, researcher, answers the question as to why 9 volunteers were listed as serving at LOP63, click on the link below.
