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The Shane's Castle estate in Antrim spreads across 800 acres of farmland and a thousand acres of woodland. In a quiet corner of the estate, traversed by the M22, is an area of rough, grassy ground known as Dunmore Park. Motorists speeding by, or anyone walking across the uneven ground, would have no idea that this was once the site of Randalstown Training Camp - a massive place where ordinary young men were turned into soldiers. The only signs remaining are the grass-covered foundations of huts and the faint scars of camp fortifications. Archaeologist Heather Montgomery, who is making a study of WW1 training camps across Ireland, has the trained eye to spot these clues. Heather has studied aerial photos of the camp area, as well as the reminiscences of Rifleman James McRoberts who trained at Randalstown. Location: Shane's Castle Estate, Randalstown, BT41 4NE Image of soldier at Randalstown Training Camp Image copyright National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum
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