Whiskey production planned for former famine-era woollen mills in Waterford

Blending and distilling experience is mooted for the site that had been  grain store for porridge producers Flahavan’s

The former Kilmacthomas mills in Waterford, which is to be redeveloped as a whiskey distillery by Provenance Spirits.

A Dublin-based distilling company has been granted a 10-month lease on a derelict former woollen mill in west Waterford with a view to restoring the premises for future brand production.

Waterford City and County Council approved the lease of 0.93 acre site at Kilmacthomas to the Provenance Spirits group at February’s’ Comeragh municipal district meeting.

Director of Services Michael Quinn told the meeting that, subject to identified works being undertaken on the site, the council will dispose of it to the company on a freehold basis for €150,000 on the expiry of the lease.

He added that it was conditional on the firm developing “a whiskey blending and distilling experience on the premises”.

During the licence there shall be active and ongoing consultation with the Waterford Council planning department in order to scope out the viability of enhanced commercial activity.

Whiskey hub

Plans provided to the council in advance of the meeting included creating a ‘whiskey hub’ to include whiskey maturation and blending along with a “visitors’ experience” facility encompassing a whiskey museum and tasting rooms.

A convention space to accommodate art and gallery and local produce shop was also mooted, in combination with accommodation quarters or hotel, all of which would be aimed at attracting visitors and employment to the area.

Indicating a development based on sustainability, the plans project “a green wall” and a “biodiversity-directed wildflower roof and rainwater collection system”.

The building, some 20 kms north-west of Dungarvan, was built as a cotton mill in 1846 to provide employment during the Famine.

The property served as a woollen mill until the 1920s, then becoming a grain store for porridge producers Flahavan’s.

It subsequently served as a woollen mill until, in the 1920s, becoming a grain store for porridge producers Flahavan’s.

It was abandoned in 1999 and quickly fell into decay before the council purchased it over 20 years ago.

External remediation signalled by the new owners involves “disposal of existing asbestos and re-roofing” along with the removal of flora that has damaged the integrity of the facade on the main building.

Improvements to water run-off from the roof to reduce the delamination of the sandstone facade is also anticipated in tandem with repairing masonry cracks, insulating a flat roof and removing all fenestration.

Repairs to silos and connection to electricity, water and sewage services will precede alongside extensive cleaning to internal areas of the main building and silos, painting and decorating.

Work is expected to begin immediately.

Efforts to contact Provenance Spirits were unsuccessful.