The mills of old dot the North Longford countryside, and some of them are being restored. The most recent being the Smear corn mill of the Bleaklay family which hasn\u2019t run since 1958.<\/p>\n
It is believed the first mill in Ireland was near the Hill of Tara in an area called Lismullen. This is where there was a standoff between the Tara campaigners and the M3 road developers in recent years. The henge was only discovered during the works. Sadly, there is no trace of the physical mill today and many regard the absence of appreciation for the local heritage a shameful stance to have been taken by the powers that be.<\/p>\n
This is a common occurrence, with mills often been leveled to the ground. In William Edgeworth\u2019s \u201cmap of the county of Longford\u201d (1814) we are told by The Longford Industrial Heritage survey, that watermills particularly had been destroyed for various reasons associated with \u2018progress\u2019.<\/p>\n
The likes of Smear mill is typical in operating through a man-made reservoir. Scenic in its own right, the opening from this is sized to allow a measured amount of water out to power the mill. The water then runs down a gully. The amount of drop between the reservoir and the wheel is known as the head and the wattage of potential energy is calculated on the flow per second as a ratio to the drop. The greater the drop the less water per minute needed for a given wattage and vice versa.<\/p>\n
The mill at Smear is called an overshoot mill which means the water flows over the top of the wheel. This turned a series of cogs attached to the internal machinery which done the workings of the mill. Huge stones then ground the grain. These stones were usually supplied by local farmers and often pre-dried by kilns. The grain was then bagged or stored in barrels. It may also have been poured into a trailer and brought elsewhere for further processing. It took the work out of grinding at home with the traditional quorn, though they were used in peasant houses for many years.<\/p>\n
The mill in Smear was restored to operative order by Cecil Blakeley and his family. They were kind enough to show Lalin around and explained the history of the mill. Lalin was shown the way to the mill by local man Seamus Kiernan.<\/p>\n
So, why did so many shoot up so quick and close down so soon?<\/p>\n
Not too many were in business as long as Smear mill, which only closed down in 1958. When corn laws were in force under the United kingdom, a tariff on imports were enforced. Many mills sprung up across Ireland and many went bankrupt then when the corn laws were repealed.<\/p>\n
The mill at Smear commenced its toil in 1813 and ended its work in 1958. After that it fell into disrepair.<\/p>\n
However, thanks to the painstaking and determined efforts of the Bleaklay family, its restoration is an asset to the area and to all who visit it now and in the years to come.<\/p>\n
It was in working order the day Lalin visited and was as impressive that day, no doubt, as it was on its first day way back in 1813. Built by now long gone Thomas McCoy and David Jobe and restored in 2012 by Cecil Bleaklay and family as a tribute to his late parents, Albert and Lilly, it is also dedicated poignantly \u201cto all who worked here\u201d
\n.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The mills of old dot the North Longford countryside, and some of them are being restored. The most recent being the Smear corn mill of the Bleaklay family which hasn\u2019t run since 1958. It is believed the first mill in Ireland was near the Hill of Tara in an area …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3148,3489],"tags":[3750,42,3749,3747,3748,3490],"class_list":["post-3846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","category-the-longford-eye","tag-how-a-mill-works","tag-longford","tag-mills","tag-smear","tag-smear-mill","tag-the-longford-eye","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-102","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3253,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/busker-of-longford-town\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":0},"title":"Busker of Longford Town","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st February 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There he sits as folk pass by His music fills the air around Some walk past fast lost in their own world More smile and slow to enjoy the sound. Some give a little, some none, it matters not Its as much for the love of the music as anything\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ireland"","block_context":{"text":"Ireland","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ireland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"This busker plays on the streets of Longford. Photo by Lalin Swaris.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Busker-on-a-Longford-street-photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-274x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1548,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/engaging-with-art-in-longford-providers\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":1},"title":"Engaging with Art in Longford Providers","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"18th March 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Art and Longford are not two words often seen together, but as with empty venues across the country, the old Providers Hardware in the town has become something of a mecca of the arts in the past while. The latest space to open to the public is the Engage exhibition\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art Inspired Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Art Inspired Poetry","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/art-inspired-poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Thomas Brezing @ Engage in Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20150318_162831.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20150318_162831.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20150318_162831.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20150318_162831.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20150318_162831.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20150318_162831.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3940,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/after-touring-st-mels-cathederal\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":2},"title":"After Touring St. Mels Cathederal","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"12th September 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Where the fire burned... its smell intimately familiar One statue survived, mere damage and dust of smoke Pictured on the walls: the ruins, it looks now that there was never any I listened, as the bishop of it spoke Of the sculpture of the Stations and the Church Mice Of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ireland"","block_context":{"text":"Ireland","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ireland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Windows in Saint Mels Cathederal in Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Windows-in-Saint-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford-165x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3114,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-longford-ark\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":3},"title":"The Longford Ark","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"5th November 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"http:\/\/www.donedeal.ie\/windows-for-sale\/boat\/5856940 This is a real advertisement from Donedeal... inspired the doggerel verse below. Only in Longford!!!It rains so much in Longford, It was as if another Flood was to be... But one brave soul inspired by Noah Stated prepared for the flood he would be... And some looked on in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Funny Poems"","block_context":{"text":"Funny Poems","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/funny-poems\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"If the flood ever comes to Longford... one man has the Ark built... and its for sale on DoneDeal...","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/The-Longford-Ark.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4577,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/home-made-explores-concept-of-home-for-longford-writers-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":4},"title":"“Home Made” explores concept of home for Longford Writers Group","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"3rd December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Longford Writers Group - featuring yours truly - launched their anthology of poems and stories in Longford Library, to the musical accompaniment of Bernie on the keyboard, and Valerie on vocals. The anthology explored the concept of home, as it is known to each of us, and a contribution\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Launch of \"Home Made\" - the anthology of Longford Writers Group","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Launch-of-Home-Made-the-anthology-of-Longford-Writers-Group-1024x467.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Launch-of-Home-Made-the-anthology-of-Longford-Writers-Group-1024x467.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Launch-of-Home-Made-the-anthology-of-Longford-Writers-Group-1024x467.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3522,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/padraic-colum-longford-writer-and-riot-inciter\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":5},"title":"Padraic Colum : Longford Writer and Riot Inciter","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"13th February 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Padraic Colum was one of Longfords most famous modern literary figures. The son of a workhouse master, he grew up in the Longford Workhouse, was the cause of the awakening to the cause of Irish freedom of Constance Gore Booth, and was a noted encourager of James Joyce when he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Masthead of \"The Longford Eye\" who first published this article based on the photo from Lalin Swaris","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Padriac-Colum.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Padriac-Colum.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Padriac-Colum.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Padriac-Colum.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Padriac-Colum.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3846"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3849,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3846\/revisions\/3849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}