mill race

Mill race from River Liffey, built c.1770, created by rubble stone sluice constructed to north of river. Rubble stone retaining wall to north, recent concrete retaining wall to north of east of mill race. Timber sluice gate having cast-iron lifting mechanism to north.

This skilfully executed mill race formed part of the Islandbridge flour mill run by of Messrs Manders, which was the property of Dublin Corporation, like its adjacent muslin printing factory which had been in place since 1786. Rocque's map of 1773 shows the mill race in existence, though no mill buildings are marked. The entire complex was acquired by John Randal Plunkett c.1895 as a new premises for his Bellevue Maltings, which supplied malt to the Guinness brewery. Though no longer functioning as a mill, the remains of this complex are significant, an important reminder of the late eighteenth-century civil engineering heritage of Islandbridge. The presence of an additional sluice gate at the entrance to the mill race provides technical interest. The mill race also makes an aesthetically-pleasing visual contribution to the area.