Monard & Coolowen Iron Works — Monard

Succession of four self-contained water-powered spade, shovel and general iron mills on impounded and canalised section of Blarney river in Monard Glen. Established by Beale family c. 1790, closed 1960. Substantial remains of machinery and plant, mostly in situ. Upper mill pond to N straddled by railway viaduct (CO063-097----); substantial stone-built weir at S end with rock-cut foundation. Upper range of buildings, including O'Hara's mill, built on rock-cut platform on E side of upper mill pond. O'Hara's is an L-shaped forge hammer mill (13.77m N-S; 13.33m E-W); one-storey with attic; gable ended. Wheel-pit along N elevation housed two waterwheels. Water delivered to mill via cast-iron pipes to wooden cistern which powered both wheels. Western wheel survives as overshot cast-iron waterwheel (diam. 3.19m) with wooden elbow buckets, fed from cistern via cast iron pipe; the wheel actuated a furnace bellows within mill. Eastern wheel was a wooden pitchback waterwheel fed from cistern via shuttle, of which only cast iron axle survives; wheel actuated tail helve trip hammer via cam, also a grindstone via bevel gearing. Water exits from wheelpit via culvert. One-storey smithy attached to S with 2-storey dwellings (originally 1-storey) adjoining smithy to S. Middle Forge Hammer Mill to SSW of upper mill, on E bank of second millpond fed from spillage from upper weir and discharge from upper mill. One-storey mill building built into slope; L-shaped (18.34m E-W; 7.82mN-S); brick arches to opes. One of two chimneys on W gable survives. Wheel-pit along N elevation housed two water wheels; another wheelpit within. Extended to N, enclosing wheelpit, by cutlery finishing structure built in 1930s. Water delivered to mill via cast iron pipe feeds main feeder cistern suspended over wheelpit. This in turn feeds two large cisterns each positioned directly over a wheel; eastern one feeds pitchback waterwheel via shuttle as well as overshot waterwheel within mill via subsidiary pipe. Large sections of wooden pitchback waterwheels, which had over 30 wooden elbow buckets, survive 'in situ' (diam. over 4m). Both actuated trip hammers within mill of which one to E survives. Western wheel powered mechanical guillotine within mill and machinery of cutlery shop to N. Internal overshot waterwheel (diam. 3.19m) actuated forge bellows; set in specially constructed wheelpit tank along E gable; tail race discharged through culvert to S. Surviving trip hammer to E has large wooden hammerbeam complete with its cast iron hammer head; remains of base of second trip hammer immediately to W. Mechanism of guillotine surviving; cast iron bellows fan to S. To E of mill are range of three small finishing workshops. Adjoining these to W are three 18th century, 2-storey workers dwellings; still occupied. Another two similar 18th century cottages c. 40m to S. 'Iron Mills' shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map also in this area; no visible surface trace. Outfall from middle mill discharged into canalised stream which feeds large lower mill pond to S for Logwood and Coolowen Spade and Shovel Mills. Logwood mill is on E side of millpond, originally used for crushing woodchip for Logwood dye; in mid 19th century converted into spade and shovel making mill. Rectangular (13.84m N-S; 8.5m E-W) 1-storey gable-ended building; two wooden finishing sheds to N; wooden store to S; mill pond flowed against W wall. Water delivered to mill by splayed channel to wooden launder which runs into mill high up on wall; feeding via a shuttle a large wooden pitchback water wheel of clasp arm construction (diam. 4.2m); this wheel actuated trip hammer, rotary grindstone in NE corner and hearth bellows in SW corner; also transmitted power to finishing shop to N where sanding machines and punches were operated. In 1950 diesel engine (now removed) installed in mill and used waterwheel as giant fly wheel to transmit power. Coolowen Forge Hammer Mill is on W side of lower mill pond with foot bridge across. Two-storey gable-ended rectangular building (10.87m E-W; 7.3m N-S); built on rock cut platform and against rock face to W, N and E. Wheel-pit within in NE corner, second wheelpit along external E gable. Water delivered to mill by splayed channel feeding angled wooden launder delivering water via shuttle onto internal breastshot waterwheel of clasparm construction (diam. 4.16m), with 30 elbow buckets. This wheel actuated trip hammer and grindstone (now gone) along with manually operated trip hammer; remains of manually operated guillotine also 'in situ'. Second launder, leading off main internal launder, carried on iron brackets along N wall of mill and provides water for cast iron overshot waterwheel on E gable. Overshot wheel actuated forge bellows for interior smithy hearth, along S wall of building. Tail race of internal wheel-pit leads out to external wheel race, leading to stone-lined channel. O'Hara's and Middle Forge Mill present on 1842 OS 6-inch maps; latter two mills appear to be later. 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