School: Cormongan (roll number 13164)

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1. The Drumshanbo Iron Furnace - The Origin and Closing Down (continued)

   

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   Mahon or Mahony was a widower, and he had living with him his beautiful daughter, an only child. whom he loved very much. The tinker got very much attached to this young lady, and after some time he had the audacity, at least as her father thought, to ask her hand in marriage.

   The father refused with scorn, and not only this, but he got such a shock that he had had no further ambition for carrying on the work of the furnace. He abandoned the furnace, and left again for his native Munster, taking his daughter with him lest she might ever set eyes on the tinker again.

   It was a great loss to the district, for the furnace to close down, many persons being thrown out of employment. There is no trace of the furnace to be seen at the present day, but William Doyle, sluice master at Ballintra, L. Allen who died about 10 years ago, 1928, aged about 80 years could point out the site of the furnace. having been shown same by his father.

   The hill on which the furnace was situated is yet called Furnace Hill. less than a quarter of a mile from the town of Drumshanbo.

   About 50 years ago a large heap of cinders, as they were called, not coal cinders, but iron cinders from the furnace could be seen near the hill. They were taken away about 50 yrs or 52 yrs ago. for road metal for the Cavan and Leitrim Railway, which was constructed about that time.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Francis Moran

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim

   Informant

   Thomas Callaghan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   c. 76

   Address

   Corrachuill, Co. Leitrim