GlenavyHistory.com

Mills and Manufactories

The manufactories in this parish consist of a cotton factory, a bleach green with its machinery and a corn mill. The cornmill is situated in the village of Glenavy. The machinery is propelled by a breast water wheel 14 feet in diameter and 2 feet broad.

The cotton factory is within a short distance of the southern end of the village of Glenavy. It is in rather a dilapidated states, though at present at full work. The machinery is propelled by a breast water wheel 26 feet in diameter and 5 feet broad, and having a fall of water of 24 feet.

Rivers

…It is of very little importance as a mill stream, but would supply more machinery with water than is at present erected on the river, to take advantage of which it is the intention of Mr. Howe, who has a cotton manufactory in the town land of Glenavy, to erect a flax mill in the same town land next year (1836).

Society urges renovation rather than demolition

Call to save Old Mill in Glenavy

One of the rarest mills in Ireland could be demolished to make way for a housing development in Glenavy.

Dundrum Developments is currently seeking permission to build 27 dwellings at the site of the 165-year old mill, the only known Irish example of a double water wheel in the same building which has fallen into a bad state of repair in recent years.

But the Ulster Heritage Society says it will oppose any plans to demolish a building of such historical significance. The mill was built in 1840 and listed four years ago and Andrew McClelland, Heritage Project Officer of the Ulster Heritage Society, said it is one of their "Buildings at Risk".

He said the charity would strongly oppose any decision by the planning department to approve the demolition of the building to make way for housing but would not oppose any scheme for it to be used as a dwelling.

"We believe it is very important to preserve such a rare building as this," he said.

"We would like to see the building restored and if it is used again as a dwelling then that would be fine as there are some very nice examples of that sort of scheme," he said.

A survey conducted by the Ulster Heritage Society described the mill as a "good example" of a medium sized rural enterprise which has existed for almost 230 years with a "surprising amount" of internal machinery which still survives.

They also stated that with exception of spade mills it is the only Irish example known which has two waterwheels in the same building. "The fact that one of the waterwheels has an attested local manufacturer (Kane) is also of note" the survey added.

One concerned resident said he was aware the mill was in bad need of repair and that it is often used as a drinking den, but he urged the developer and the planners to do what they could to preserve the wheels.

"What I would like to see, if the mill cannot be saved, then the wheels being given to a museum" he said.

There is sufficient water supply and it is intended that more machinery will be erected. The men work 12 hours a day, total number employed is 100 to 120.

Glenavy War Comforts Effort

In common with other centres Glenavy was working for war comforts during the winter months. Starting with a general collection of the district in November a sum of over £18 was raised. Appeals to the various L.O.L.'s brought in £1 each from Glenavy L.O.L. 227, Crew L.O.L. 124, Pride Of Glenavy L.O.L. 618, also Red Cross Volunteers R.B.P. 286. £3 was received from Ballydonaghy Temperance L.O.L. 351, and proceeds of concert pre Miss Wilson L.T.C.L., £10 1s 6d.

Many knitters answered the call, meeting once a month to receive wool, and return finished articles. On April 4th when an adjournment was made for a few months the following articles had been forwarded to the Ulster Gift Fund per Unionist Depot, totalling in all 212:- 20 pullovers, 61 scarves, 48 helmets, 56 pairs socks, 7 pairs gloves, 20 pairs mittens.

Exemplary Guide to the Study of a Placename by Deirdre Flanagan

Glenavy Townland, County Antrim; Barony Upper Masserene; Glenavy Parish; O.S. 59.

The original form of Glenavy is attested in native sources nos. 4 - 9 and by the semi- Gaelic version in number 10. The traditional explanation of the name Lann Abhaigh is given in source number 2: Luid I nDail nAraithi iar suidiu. ..Ocus asbertai dano conga bad du ita Lat(h)rach Patraic. Is and sin ata Daniel aingel 7 abhacc Patraic. (After this he went into Dal Araidi. ..And he proposed moreover to take the place in which Lathrach Patraic (Patrick's site) is (now). Therein is Daniel (who is called from his purity) "The angel" and (from his small size) "Patrick's dwarf".)^[2]

Here the compiler gives sufficient information to allow the reader to identify the site as Lann Abhaigh but avoids, apparently consciously, use of the anachronistic term lann. (Lann, Welsh llan, "enclosure, monastic enclosure, church", does not occur in the Patrician context but belongs to the immediate post-Patrician phase.^[3] The name Lathrach Patraic does not recur recognisably in later documentation^[4] and may possibly have been consciously composed in order to bring Lann Abhaigh within the Patrician mission.

The sources of numbers 4 - 6 are locational glosses in the metrologies on Aedhan mac Colca (Nov. 6.) The sources of numbers 7 and 8 refer to "Maelpatraig (mac Celen) .i. Aircinech Lainne Abhaich 7 secnab Bennchair" (Maelpatraig son of Celen .i. Erenagh of Glenavy and vice-abbot of Bangor.) The Annals of the Four Masters give the obit: A.D. 927 Maolpatraicc mac Celen, sac cart 7 secnap Bennchair (decc). At the dissolution of the monasteries the rectory of Glenavy, with its 13 town lands, was found to be appropriate to the Abbey of Bangor (sources nos. 12, 17,18); the association obviously goes back at least to the early 10th century.

Lettir - phadruic (no. 3), with the same reference and in the same context as Lathrach Patraic (nos. 1,2) may be an error for the latter on Colgan's part. But on the strength of Colgan's Lettir -phadruic, Reeves (Eccl. Antiq., p. 237) and Olivetti (Down and Connor, 11, p.303) suggest the equation of Glenavy with "Leitir Dal Araidhe", a locational gloss in the metrologies on the three "daughters" of Comhghall (Jan. 22); the Mart. Donegal^[5] account is the most detailed:

The corruption of lann to "glen", which had obviously set in by 1625^[7] (no.19), was no doubt accelerated by the presence of a physical glen. The alternative name Clenough/Cleona (nos. 17,18) does not survive recognisably and is too lightly documented to justify speculation on is original Irish form; it may be no more than a corrupt spelling-form of Lann Abhaign (or possibly Lann Abhaic^[8] in its transitional anglicised stage.

Footnotes

Anne Oakman

Date of Death 28 07 1859
Date of Grant 25 01 1860
Effects under £1500
Registry Belfast

Full Abstract:

The Will of Anne Oakman late of Glenavey in the County of Antrim Spinster deceased who died 28 July 1859 at Glenavey aforesaid was proved at Belfast by the oath of Mary Jane Oakman of same place Spinster the sole Executrix.

Robert Phillips

Date of Death 07 09 1891
Date of Grant 30 10 1891
Effects £202 2s 6d
Registry Belfast

Full Abstract:

The Will of Robert Phillips late of Aghagallon County Antrim Farmer who died 7 September 1891 at same place was proved at Belfast by Mary Ann Phillips of Aghagallon Widow and John Loughrey of Glenavey said County School Teacher two of the Executors.