The subsequent scrapping of the previous trade restrictions imposed by London, which had largely provoked the call for a more powerful and independent parliament in Dublin, led to a wave of grandiose plans for the economic and cultural development of the Kingdom of Ireland.

[1] James Gandon, the celebrated architect, was commissioned to prepare a plan for the town which would have been almost rectangular in shape with a vast shallow crescent 2,700 ft long overlooking Waterford Estuary.

[2] Although a vast sum of money (£50,000) was allocated to the project, the colony quickly collapsed when the Genevans insisted that they should be represented in the Irish Parliament and govern themselves under their own Genevan-style laws.

Barracks were built to house companies of Irish militia newly raised following the outbreak of war between France and Great Britain in 1793.

The militia's purpose was to complement the regular forces stationed across the estuary in County Wexford at Duncannon Fort and to protect nearby Passage East in the event of French invasion.

P.M. Egan describes Geneva and the story related by Mary Muldoon in his 1895 book Guide to Waterford: Upon closer examination finding, as it is alleged, the remains of the blood of the numerous heads which were stuck on these walls, spoken of as still to be observed, the interest attached to the place becomes rather intense.

However, emissaries of the King of Prussia were allowed to select the fittest men from among the prisoners to serve in the Prussian Army in part as payment for services rendered by his Hessians auxiliaries in suppressing the rebellion.

Thomas Cloney, one of the rebel leaders at the battles of Three Rocks, New Ross and Foulksmills, was confined at Geneva Barracks while under sentence of death which was later commuted to exile by General Lord Cornwallis.