Douglas Woollen Mills

Roadside in Donnybrook. Rectangular 5-storey, 10-bay brick-built flax spinning mill designed by R. Brash and built in 1866 for Wallis and Pollock; 1-bay extension to E. Mill foundation of concrete; damaged by fire in 1919 and roof replaced. Internal flooring consists of a matrix of brick, segmental 'jack' arches which are supported on four tiers of cast-iron girders. Two-storey engine and boiler house attached at E end housed Inglis Corliss engine (C. Rynne, forthcoming). Two-storey gabled brick-built offices attached to E. Long one-storey brick-built range to W with modern buildings attached. Closed in 1885 but reopened in 1890 after being re-fitted as a woollen mill (Foley 1991, 31). All now part of industrial estate. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009