The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE discovery of iron fittings attached to old sluice gates in Ennis dating back to the mid-1800s has been described as significant find in the industrial heritage of the county town. That’s the view of Clare County architectural conservation officer and archaeologist, Risteard UaCróinín after archaelogists from Limerick-based ÆGIS Archaeology Limited found a large volume of iron cogs, ratchets, bolts and other iron fitting totalling about a ton, which came from old sluice gates, near the Fish Pass on the Mill Road. These ironworks are now in the possession of Ennis Town Council and may be exhibited at a future date. Consulant archaeologist Frank Coyne, who was part of the team monitoring flood-relief works in the town since last March, agrees this find is very important in assessing the industrial heritage of the town. “They were part of the sluice gates controlling the River Fergus dating to the mid-1800s. The sluice gates rotted and they fell into the river. The …
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