Archive records and hand-drawn design reveal canal use in County Waterford village
The hand drawings of the canal lock gates, the most recent copy dated 1960.
The people involved with Portlaw Heritage Centre in County Waterford have shed light on a piece of history that many locals might be unaware of relating to the canal and river Clodiagh, which runs through the village.
"In many ways those us who live in Portlaw just assume that the canal and River Clodiagh have always part of the story of the village but, as we mentioned about eight weeks ago, the canal was built by the Malcomsons to service the site of the new mill and was completed around 1830," said a spokesperson for the Heritage Centre.
"Located in our archives we have an account of the canal finding further use supporting the construction of the new tannery built in the 20th century,|" he added.
The engineer in the tannery, TG Kiely, realised that many of the original structures associated with the old mill were changing to support heavier machinery and different processes associated with the manufacture of leather.
"He had the foresight to record many of his observations and one of the clearest related to the nineteenth century canal lock gates," said the spokesperson.
Mr Kiely was also interviewed by interested parties from further afield and in one of those interviews it was noted: 'The canal at Pouldrew has already been mentioned, but a similar canal at Portlaw was a much bigger undertaking.'
It was designed on the same lines, but was carried right under the factory building so that the barges loaded with cotton brought their cargo right into the centre of the factory, and the same barges could then be loaded with finished goods to travel down the river Suir to Waterford.
"Mr. Kiely made use of this canal while renovating and altering the factory in recent years, and barges with 50 to 60 tonnes of sand and gravel were brought up to the factory by the canal," said the spokesperson.
"We are lucky that included in his notes are hand drawings of the canal lock gates, the most recent copy dated 1960," he added.
"Quite often what can be seen as simple notes can provide valuable insights into times past."
