The Messrs Robinson of Athlone, having supported Captain Mathew, the Conservative Member for the town, last election, threats have been offered and violence used to the boatmen conveying turf to their distillery, and in consequence the establishment will henceforth burn coal in the concern, a great loss to the country people.
Clare Journal, and Ennis Advertiser 23 February 1835
THOMAS HAUGHTON and CO., (being about to withdraw from the Trade,) are ready to receive proposals to Let with a fine, or Sell the Interest in their Concern, consisting of Distillery, Water-mill, Malt-house, Corn-stores, extensive Vaults for bonding Stores, with an excellent Dwelling-house; the whole situate at Carlow, on the bank of the navigable river Barrow.
The Copper Works and Utensils having been lately erected are all in perfect order, and there being a home Sale at the door for the entire produce, renders this Concern a most eligible investment for any competent person (or Company,) with a moderate capital.
The Dublin Mercantile Advertiser, and Weekly Price Current 16 December 1833
Here is a small amount of information about Belturbet and some of its industrial heritage. The photos were taken on a brief visit in July 2011.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Steamers, Tourism, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged barge, Belturbet, boats, Castle Saunderson, Cavan, distillery, Erne, flow, Ireland, Kilconny, quay, steamer, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways Ireland, weir
Here is a page about John’s Canal, which was used to extract turf from Macnab’s Bog at Mona Lodge, Portcrusha, between Castleconnell and Montpelier in Limerick (Montpelier is at the other end of the bridge at O’Briensbridge).
The bog seems to have been opened by John Brown (or Browne) of the Stein Brown(e) Distillery at Thomondgate in Limerick. Turf was carried by water from the bog to the distillery, where it was used to fuel the first steam engine in Limerick. The bog was managed by James Macnab, who took over the lease in 1841; after his death his son Alexander Allen Macnab took over. The bog was an early operation of a managed industrial extraction and production enterprise, operating throughout most of the year and drying the material to produce “stone turf”. About 5000 tons were produced each year.
The canal system had a wooden bridge (now vanished), several branches (some still visible), a lock gate (gone) and a stone pier/quay (still visible).
Posted in Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Operations, The turf trade
Tagged boats, canal, Castleconnell, distillery, Ireland, Limerick, lost, Macnab, Montpelier, O'Briensbridge, Operations, Portcrusha, Shannon, Stein Brown, turf, vessels, waterways
Irish waterways history