Free public talk on Macroom mill complex

A FREE lecture titled 'Mills and Milling' will take place in the Castle Hotel in Macroom on Wednesdy August 21st at 8pm to coincide with National Heritage Week.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in association with  Cork County Council is presenting the public talk which will be presented by Dr Colin Rynne of UCC and archaeologist Kate Taylor of TVAS Ireland.

The presentation will outline the fascinating story of an historical mill complex recently excavated at Kilaclug, West of Macroom, as part of the N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom road development.

About 50 sites of archaeological significance were unearthed during investigations. Archaeologists working on an early 19th century farmstead were surprised to find, under the floor of a farm building, much older walls, which were part of a water-powered mill complex. The earliest phase of this mill goes back to the late 15th century. Rebuilt in the late 16th century, the mill was extended in the 18th century and by the early 19th century it had been abandoned and levelled.

County Mayor, Cllr Christopher O Sullivan encouraged the local community and anyone with an interest in our county’s heritage and history to come along.

'These excavations provide significant new information and this free event is a wonderful opportunity to find out how this long forgotten mill complex was uncovered and how it expands our understanding of the early industrial heritage of west Cork,' he said.

A TII-produced, on-line, ‘Story Map’ of all the archaeological sites excavated in advance of the proposed new N22 road scheme will be launched on the night.

Post-excavation research and analysis is currently on-going and all sites will be published in due course.

All are warmly welcome to attend what promises to be a very interesting National Heritage Week event.