Monday, August 22, 2016

The Mill Key

The mill at Killishal, (also spelt Killeeshal in the ordnance survey maps, grid reference X 192 956 ); was in existence from 1800 onwards. The mill probably predates that time. Earliest memories say, it was known as Maura Cashin’s Mill. Maurice Hurley, a farmer from Canty, married Mary Cashin, and they worked the mill. They were the parents of Michael Hurley (1829 – 1888). His grave stone is outside Ballinameela Church, facing the main entrance. The mill was fed by a stream known as the Douglas River. This stream was augmented by a water supply from the Finisk River. A man-made channel was dug via the lakes just one km north west of the mill site (north of N72 road). This canal has since fallen into disrepair.
The mill ground wheat, barley and oats for farmers, within a ten miles radius. The grain was roasted and also milled. The charge included payment of money, and a gift of ‘moonshine’, (‘one gallon of mountain dew, 190 proof’).  Anthony Hurley (1882 – 1969), (son of Michael), of Revere, Mass. USA, left a hand written description and sketch of the mill. In this, he describes the operation and billing system.  He stopped working there in 1910, and left for the USA, in about 1913. Milling ceased in Killishal in 1915.  There was a fire in the mill, and also the management of it (collection of monies owed, etc) was not the best.


In the mid 1950’s, during a visit to Killishal, to see the Shines, Dick Lincoln (great grandson of Michael Hurley 1829-1888), found the key to the mill, within its ruins. Sham Shine (the then owner of the mill) said, ‘keep the key’. Dick cleaned and painted it, and hung it on the wall at home in Tig Álainn, Ardmore.  Anthony Hurley, on a return visit to Ireland in about 1965, saw the key, and was excited at the find. Was it the key to the mill in Killishal?
He described cutting the hole (or gash) in the key, as a young man. He cut it so as to fashion it into a gun. Many pigeons gathered near the mill, to scavenge for loose grain.  During long periods of tending to the kiln fire roasting the grains, he shot the pigeons, and roasted them on the kiln fire, for eating. He described stuffing the key with gunpowder, and filling the front open-end with lead shot. He then lit a match to the hole he had cut in the key; and bang! a dead pigeon.
The key travelled to USA for about five years, so that Anthony could show it to his old friends there. Then his son Tony returned the key safely back to Ireland, as promised, following Anthony senior’s death.  
The key measures 14.5cm long. The internal barrel is 1.5cm in diameter. The internal depth of the barrel is 6.5cm. It weighs 190 grams.


as reported by Dick Lincoln Aug 2016. Picture to follow

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