billets

The fellow standing on the left (not the lurker) has on his right forearm a "four-bar Chevron" which evidently denotes years of overseas service in WW1.

The Overseas Service Chevron was created by the British Army on 20 December 1917 and was awarded for each year of overseas service. It was retroactive to December 31, 1914, and was eligible for award until May 1, 1920.
Overseas service was calculated from the day the soldier disembarked from the United Kingdom. A blue chevron was awarded for each 12 months of overseas service after December 31, 1914, with a maximum of 4 blue chevrons (or 5 if the soldier served in Russia after the war). A single red chevron could be awarded for at least a year or more of overseas service before December 31, 1914, and was worn under the blue chevron(s). The Overseas Chevrons were worn on the lower right sleeve of the uniform jacket. Official wear was discontinued in 1922."
From - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Service_Chevron#
Also - lawranceordnance.com

Which might imply the photo is 1918 - 1922 (??)

The fellow seated second from right (smoking a cigarette with ash on his leg!) has chevrons on his left forearm denoting 'Long Service/Good Conduct Badge'. See the second link above.
Edit - He also has a medal bar on his chest. No idea what ...

beachcomber australia Alright, hazarding 1918-1922? above.

Football team and ball?

We have encountered Mr J.S. Coombs the photographer previously. Based in Portland, UK. I wonder if this and another photo are somewhere near Portland ?
catalogue.nli.ie
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/53705945897/]

A super view of a pristine camp with a lot of history. Just yesterday on the Sunday Miscellany radio programme a contributor told the story of the Irish ship the Kerlogue during World War 2. The ship was sailing up the bay of Biscay from Portugal with a cargo of oranges when a German plane signalled SOS and that they should follow it. The captain turned and did so and came of the aftermath of a battle where three German ships had been sunk and dead a drowning sailors littered the sea. He picked up more that 150 survivors and brought them back to Cobh from where they were interned in the Curragh for the remainder of the war. The prisoners were very pleased with their conditions and many of them returned after the war to show their appreciation! A place with a very varied story!

British times
Edit: I can’t imagine Eason being given access to photograph a military camp during wartime, so think pre Great War

This is such a great photograph, with lots of interesting detail. The photograph is (was) outstanding.

12/20 and only 5 people visible - where would everyone be !.?

12:18 Lunchtime!

Above each door MQ No. 14, 16 etc presumably Married Quarters.

"Two foreigners found sketching outside the Royal Field Artillery Barracks have been arrested at Kildare and are still in custody" (Belfast Telegraph - Monday 10 August 1914). Not the only people to be arrested that week for 'acting suspiciously with an odd accent'.

One of the few bits of the barracks still standing: Magee Terrace on Streetview The NIAH lets us down today, no dates.

The British Army were there from 1900 to 1922, according to this book review. Includes fascinating snippets about water, sanitation, and electricity - www.theirishstory.com/2014/09/01/book-review-kildare-barr...

More history of what later became Magee Barracks - www.abandonedireland.com/Magee_Barracks.html

The "strange fencing" is presumably rifle racks.

The wooden halls look like prototypes for the new suburban churches of the post-war Dublin suburbs. They could be the inspiration for Donnycarney or Finglas or Whitehall or any of a dozen other optimistically sized eyesores. I'd imagine they're actually mess halls.

Post-1915: There's a bloke in a tin hat.

D

O