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Finner Camp has been synonymous with the military for over a century. In 1893-94 a company of the Royal Engineers surveyed the area known as Finner in preparation for the establishment of a military training camp. Finner was being prepared as a training ground for the coming conflict in South Africa. Finner Camp is known as a Boer War Camp. Records show that units were billeted in Finner at various times from 1898. In June 1898 the 5th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, formerly known as the 'Old Donegals' were there. Finner became a Brigade HQ for the Royal Inniskillings with 2000 men stationed there. After the Boer War some of the troops withdrew.At the end of 1914 the 109 Inf Bde of the 36 (Ulster) Division collected at Finner. This BDE consisted of the 9th,10th & 11th Royal Inniskillings and the 14th Royal Irish Rifles. Other units to train there were the Bedfordshires and the Connaught Rangers. By the end of the First World War the camp lost the name of the Boer War camp and was referred to as Finner Camp.

In 1922 the camp was taken over from the British by the Irish National Army.