officer's house

Detached three-bay single-storey officer's house, built c.1900, having projecting single-bay block to east end of south elevation. Now vacant. Flat rendered roof having rendered cornice and rendered chimneystacks with cornice. Randomly coursed rubble stone, rendered and red brick walls with plinth, red brick impost course and iron ventilation apertures. Red brick battlement-style projection to south elevation east block with red brick consoles. Square-headed blocked openings with rendered sills and red brick block-and-start surrounds. Square-headed door opening with timber battened door and red brick surround.

This building is typical of military houses built close to batteries and redoubts on Bere Island, and forms part of an important group with the military buildings on the island. These military buildings are very distinctive when compared with the vernacular-style dwellings traditionally built by the islanders. Bere Island was recognized as being of great strategic importance following an attempted French invasion of Ireland in 1796. The British built four Martello Towers and a signal tower on the island, as part of a chain of defence along the coast, in anticipation of any further attempts. In 1898 the east end of the island was compulsory purchased by the War Department and fortifications and were built to protect British Dreadnoughts when they were in port. Accommodation for officers and men, along with store houses and other ancillary buildings were also constructed at this time. Additional works were undertaken during World War I. Under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, the deep water port at Bere Island, along with those at Cobh and Lough Swilly remained in British control until 1938.