Tide mill

The precise location of an old tidal mill associated with a possible medieval settlement [KE028-097----] near the SE corner of Fenit Island has not been located. Folklore collected from Chapeltown (Baile na hEaglaise) School recorded the following tradition; ' In ancient times two large villages were in Fenit Island - one in the west [KE028-096----] in a place called Cuan [harbour] Garsons [?] and another in the east [KE028-097----] near where the old mill is indicated on the map. No trace of these exists today only the ruins which are occasionally turned up by the plough. The Teampaillín [KE028-023001-] would thus be centrally situated between both villages' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0438, Page 271; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706321/4702383). A second story collected from Chapeltown School recorded details about the mill and the associated settlement on Fenit Island; 'At the South-east corner of the Island I was told there once was a mill for grinding corn. It is marked on the enclosed sketch-map, no trace of it exists today. I was told by John Slattery in whose land the mill was that the driving power was the sea-water which was trapped at high-water in Spring-tide on this low beach and the mill wheel was turned by the escaping water as the tide went out. There once was a big village at this part of the island as the owner of the land often met with foundations of houses and lots of cockle-shell dumps in this area. About 100yds [91m] from where the village stood is a spring well about 8ft [2.4m] deep which supplied them with water. An old Bittling stone still stands at the [well?]' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0438, Page 268; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706321/4702380/4724473?ChapterID=4706321). See attached sketch map of Island showing the location of the mill (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0438, Page 259), Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 June 2022