Old mill faces an uncertain future

THE proposed delisting of the River Sullane millrace by the town council in Macroom, Co Cork, raises fears for the future for another structure of local historical and heritage interest.

The lovely canal, which was a haven for brown trout, drove the great millwheel in Waltons Mill at Massytown.

The millrace was along the west boundary of the public park from Creedon’s GAA grounds into the town, across the main Cork/Killarney road and along the main street where fish could be seen darting inside the canal.

There was a walk all the way along the canal in the park — a memory from the Great Famine years recorded by An tAth Peadar Ó Laoire in his famous memoir, Mo Scéil Féin.

This is the 160th anniversary of the Great Famine and the 50th anniversary of the flooding of the Lee Valley where thousands of acres were submerged for the Carrigadrohid and Inniscarra dams which generated little electricity but destroyed nature’s infrastructure and led to the collapse of salmon fishing.

Far too many landmark structures have disappeared from our countryside and it would be a great pity if the Macroom mill were to join them.

It should be preserved even in its ruined form if only for the sake of the children of the region who might be inspired by it to appreciate the way of life of the generations that preceded them.

Tomas Ó Scannláin

Bóthar Sruthán na Coile

Baile an Easpaig

Corcaigh