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Corbally Mills

CORBALLY MILLS - Drawn and Lithographed at the office of J.I. Whitty L.L.D. Civil and Mining Engineer, 15 Henrietta St., Dublin. VIEW OF PART OF THE ESTATE OF P. ALOYSIUS SHANNON ESQ., Situate near the City of Limerick. (Picture courtesy of Maura & John McNamara)
CORBALLY MILLS - Reflection in the Mill Race.

DROWNED IN THE MILL STREAM. In May 1931, Josephine O’Brien, a school girl, age 12 years, was playing at the Mill Race, Corbally with her friend Mary Collins, aged 14 years. While playing by the water, she walked out onto a plank protruding over the Mill Race, she lost her balance and fell into the water,  her friend rushed for help, but it was too late when help arrived, her body was recovered by Mr. D. Ivers who was employed by the Lax Weir Fishing Company. The girls mother a widow, worked nearby in Corbally House.

 

CORBALLY MILLS AND PORTION OF THE LAX WEIR The fisherman in the boat is E.B. Place, son of J.H. Place, Manager of the Shannon Fishing Company Ltd., the man paddling the boat is Patsy McMahon from Ardnacrusha.
View of the Great Lax Weir and Corbally Mill c.1920

In its time Corbally Mill was one of the finest water mills in the Country. Wheat from the mill was transported via the river in the early stages from Custom House docks as there was no direct road link with Limerick.

Corbally Mills and Lax Weir showing the Free Gap built in 1865, known as the Queen's Gap and Caisleán na Corann (Castle of the Weir). 

William Walter Copley, a Clerk in charge of the Water Mill, with his family, lived in this house just inside the entrance gate of the Mill Yard. All that remains now are the stone pillars. The house was knocked in the 60's to make way for the present house.
END OF MILL ROAD, the Mill section as it is now. On the right was the entrance to the Mill Yard, on the left Corbally House, now the Nursing Home.

LETTER FROM JERSEY  - 1st February 1965

Dear Mr. Lysaght,

I have read with the greatest interest - and no little nostalgia! - your "Short History" of the Abbeymen. 

Of special interest to me is the reproduction of the photo figure 11 as this portrays my eldest brother Capt. E. B. Place (peal fishing probably) on the "tail of Garrafh" (excuse phonetic spelling!) being paddled by one Patsy McMahon of Parteen, in a brocaun which was very much beamier than those normally used by the Shannon Fishing Co. - as it was then called - snap net men. The normal ones they used were much wider and more stable than those of the Abbey men.

This particular brocaun was specially built - probably by the late Mickey Farrell - for one of the Fishery "Star" net men on my fathers instructions as the net man mentioned (Frank Connors) was about 15 stone or possibly more and so generously proportioned that even a Corbally brocaun was deemed inadequate and unsafe to accomodate him !!

The photo and also figure 10 were I think taken by someone directly - or indirectly connected with my old home, Corbally House and appear to be reproductions of original photos.

I would be more than grateful if you could let me know who now owns them and whether it would be possible for me to acquire them as I think that during our time there, they were possibly framed and on one of the walls inside Corbally House.

Thanking you, I remain, Yours Sincerely, Hugh L.P. Place.

P.S. How is my old fishing acquaintance Arthur Lysaght?  Please give him my kindest regards.

 

 

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Jes | Reply 21.07.2019 16:35

Thank you Ann, could you tell me anything about the house and where it is / was situated. I may have been the first of my family to get this close

Ann 21.07.2019 21:47

The house still exists, I will send you a private message.

Jes | Reply 19.07.2019 18:11

I recently discovered that my ancestors, the Killeens, owed flour mills at the head of the Shannon River. Might you know where I might find out more information

Ann 21.07.2019 16:26

Jes,I only know of a house by the R. Shannon near Corbally owned by the Killeen family,I know nothing of Mills owned by them, perhaps that can be your challenge

elaine leonard | Reply 07.02.2017 13:29

love your website Anne there should have a gathering of all involved in the old abbey regetta limerick as those were the good old days back then

Deirdre McCarthy | Reply 16.01.2017 14:48

Hi Ann, Thanks for getting back to me so soon with a reply. Yes, I'm sure it had to be the same man. I didn't know he was a Major He had a mustache, I remember

Deirdre McCarthy | Reply 15.01.2017 15:46

My dad used to take us out for a stroll along the Red Path from one end to the other many a Sunday. There was a good friend of mine Mr. Wilson ( Boyd's on William St.) He lived on the other side of the path. He gave me a pair of binoculars that I treasure

Ann 16.01.2017 10:15

Hi Deirdre, I'm sure you enjoyed those strolls. There was a Major Wilson of Rose Ville, across the Road from top of Mill Road, I wonder if he is your Mr. Wilson

Brian Carroll | Reply 07.12.2016 21:59

Hi
My name is Brian Carroll, editor of Limerick Life newspaper. I would like your/photographer's permission to use photo of Lax Weir. Could you email, thanks

Tommy Goggin | Reply 19.03.2016 10:11

I might be mistaken, but I seem to recall being told that the Mill was once owned, or managed, by the father of the actor Richard Harris. Can you confirm?

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Latest comments

11.05 | 12:24

Hi Ann, thanks for sharing your wonderful website, it’s a mine of information and brings back many happy memories of wonderful times

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05.04 | 13:48

Lovely to hear from you Jean, my father was William. If I can be of any help with your research let me know. I will email you privately.

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05.04 | 02:41

Donal, Paddy and William Lysaght were my father’s cousins. I just found this website, as I’m researching my Irish roots from Colorado!

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22.03 | 19:47

Pauline, check out the 1901 and 1911 Census of Ireland, you will find some Grimes fishermen there.

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