Archive for August, 2010

Hilden Mill photographic exhibition

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010


The Island Arts Centre, The Island, Lisburn is hosting a photographic exhibition of the now closed Hilden Mill. These were taken by local photographer David Cleland. The exhibition is running from Wed 13 Oct – Sat 23 Oct 2010 with opening hours of Mon – Fri: 9.30am – 10pm; Sat: 10am – 5pm. The exhibition is free.

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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IHAI Autumn Trip - 25th 26th September 2010

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010


I am looking forward to this trip and have booked my hotel room in Letterkenny. Roll on the tour!

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Grain Mill - Tuckmill Lower, near Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow

Saturday, August 28th, 2010


I visited this building, a semi derelict grain mill today, open as part of Heritage Week. The name of the mill is misleading. Whilst it is located in the townland of Tuckmill, which would suggest that there may have been a tuck mill in the area, the mill itself is a grain mill.

From talking to two elderly gents on site, the mill ceased operating c. 1955 but retains most of its machinery. Sadly, the millwheel is gone. The bay for this remains and led me to an interesting discovery. The shaft of the mill will did not double up as the main shaft, but instead the latter is offset and at a higher level. This would suggest that there was another cog between the millwheel and the main shaft cog to drive the latter. The wheel was an overshot wheel with a mill pond located behind the mill. There is no trace of the tail race.

From talking to the structural engineer who has reported on the building, an industrial archaeology survey by the island's leading industrial archaeologist Fred Hamond has been commissioned and will be carried out in due course. This should allow for a fuller description of the mill and its activities.

I have created an album in my photo gallery for this mill here. The photographs will be added to this shortly.

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Roman Industrial Estate discovered

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010


The Irish Independent has reported on an archaeological dig in Britain uncovering of a Roman era water mill.

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Phizzfest - Walk along the Royal Canal

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010


PHIZZFEST is the Phibsboro Community Festival. An event taking place during this is a walk - the Alan O Leary Memorial Canal Walk - along the Royal Canal, led by Peter Clarke who wrote the history of the Royal Canal. This takes place on Saturday, 11th September 2010 - meet at Binns Bridge at 2pm. There is no charge for the event.

Link

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Oughertard Cemetery, Co. Kildare

Sunday, August 15th, 2010


Of what relevance to industrial heritage is this, I hear you ask? This small cemetery, tucked away at the end of a lane off a country road, is the burial place of one Arthur Guinness, he of the brewery fame. The Sunday Independent reported today that this quiet graveyard is becoming a "mecca" to Guinness tourists (their words).

To this end, I took them up on their suggestion and paid a visit today. Photos and details will follow shortly (now that I have my arrears of photo processing down from a year to a month!)

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Leixlip Distillery

Saturday, August 14th, 2010


I have added a page to the industrial heritage wiki for Leixlip Distillery.

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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My Story - Paddy the Cope

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

I am reading this seminal autobiography about the man who changed the face of the Rosses area of North Donegal currently (review to follow).

There is a quote from the book that I will repeat below which unfortunately turned out to be unjustified optimism.

"Whenever the Gombeen man is fighting the English, we are with him in that fight, but as soon as we are rid of you, we will tackle him, and believe me, he will not last seven years, don't mind seven hundred."

That a descendant of the author is a senior member of the political party that today upholds the gombeenism that Paddy the Cope fought against is depressing.

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Lartigue Railway, Listowel, Co. Kerry

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Monorails.org has an article about a recent visit to the recreated Lartigue railway in Listowel, Co. Kerry.

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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Difflin Lake Railway

Sunday, August 8th, 2010


I have known of the existence of this railway for a few years - yesterday I headed up to Raphoe in Co. Donegal to travel on it. Sir Gerry Robinson is obviously minted - anyone who can build a private railway in the grounds of his house on this scale is not short of a bob or two. I have taken photographs (mainly of the railway - after all, I don't trainspot), however, to be generous to the trainspotters, I did take a few of the diesel engine hauling a train.

I have setup a page for the railway on my website here. All photos can be accessed off this.

The official website for the grounds and railway is http://www.oakfieldpark.com/

Days Hotel Belfast - located in a lovely area of Belfast where the Union Jack flies from every lamppost and the kerbstones are painted blue white and red.

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