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_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"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_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. 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The woman and wains on the wall, The snarling dog neath the old womans bed... The rattling buckets in the sheugh... The tales\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Folklore and Legend"","block_context":{"text":"Folklore and Legend","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/folklore-and-legend\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":549,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/old-clonbroney\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":3},"title":"Old Clonbroney","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"13th September 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a ghost story told to me by my mother, from her grandparents, either Kiernans Mill or Treacys. The roadway mentioned may have led onto the roads that lead to Old Clonbroney, or it may have led to a back wall, Im unsure. One night dark walking along A\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Family Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/family-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Old Clonbroney - the graveyard in the poem. Image from Google StreetView","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4030,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/when-its-bad-manners-to-say-thanks\/","url_meta":{"origin":3846,"position":4},"title":"When Its Bad Manners to Say Thanks","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"5th October 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The story of a ghost miller on Lough Gownas Inch Island From the Irish Folklore Collection On the waters of Gowna there rests Inch isle On monastic fame, and the ringing bell The shores of which array Derrycassin, Culray Mullahoran, Dring and more places as well. The tale is told\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Folklore and Legend"","block_context":{"text":"Folklore and Legend","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/folklore-and-legend\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"There was a mill on Inch Island on Lough Gowna, worked by a phantom miller... one of the many supernatural phenomena on the lake, along with the monster, and the merrow","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lough-Gowna-which-has-a-version-of-the-Loch-Ness-Monster-and-a-mermaid-according-to-local-folklore.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lough-Gowna-which-has-a-version-of-the-Loch-Ness-Monster-and-a-mermaid-according-to-local-folklore.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lough-Gowna-which-has-a-version-of-the-Loch-Ness-Monster-and-a-mermaid-according-to-local-folklore.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lough-Gowna-which-has-a-version-of-the-Loch-Ness-Monster-and-a-mermaid-according-to-local-folklore.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lough-Gowna-which-has-a-version-of-the-Loch-Ness-Monster-and-a-mermaid-according-to-local-folklore.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"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,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_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}]}}