Paper Mill — Ballymalis

A large mill complex operating as the Kerry Woollen Mills is situated c. 50m E of the Gweestin river. The old mill buildings occupy the W, N and part of the E side of a cobbled yard with a residential two-storey 19th-century house at the S end of the E side with an access road to the S. A brick and stone-built two-storey range with dormer windows on the W side of the yard was recently raised by two or three courses of bricks . Formerly it had a weaving room on the ground floor and a spinning mule on the upper floor; it is now used as a shop and for storage. A substantial 3-storey building at the N end is built of random rubble construction and its hipped roof has been replaced with corrugated iron. The interior accommodates a line shaft from the turbine and numerous pieces of machinery including fulling machinery. There are a number of additions to the W including a corrugated iron structure accommodating a Crosley Diesel engine. The turbine is in an enclosed wheel-pit covered by a wheel-house at the NW corner. The long single-storey buildings with attics along the N side of the yard were originally used as a drying hall with a oft for storage. The ground floor now accommodates a long washing machine made by John Petrie, Rochdale. Mid 20th-century concrete building to the S accommodate a wide range of machinery mainly for washing, fulling and drying. Single storey early 19th-century office building runs WNW from the SW corner of yard. To the S of the yard and on the W side of entrance road are mid 20th-century weaving and storage sheds. Large Mill pond to N built in 1835 and enlarged in 1920s. Electricity provides the main source of power but on occasion the turbine is put into operation. Two millstones lean against N range probably from when mill operated as a flour mill (Lewis 1837, vol. 2, 53). Indicated on the 1846 OS 6-inch map as a Paper Mill with a similar ground plan. Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011