Mills at Kimmage
12 Nov 1970The course of the Poddle is generally traced to the Green Hills beyond Drimnagh (now largely removed by the gravel men) or to the hillock on which once stood Tymon Castle, demolished before 1960. From the Firhouse Weir, on the Dodder, another ancient supply was brought in to meet the Poddle on the borders of Perrystown and Templeogue townlands. The united stream did double duty, supplying water power to mills and drinking water to the citizens, so not surprisingly, there are early complaints of pollution. Handcock’s “History of Tallaght” 1877 says that because of the paper mills then in action near Tallaght, this watercourse was the colour of porter, produced foam like Guinness XX, and that cattle and horses died from drinking it. Liam’s drawing shows the Larkfield Mills, just outside the city boundary, opposite Sundrive Cinema. William Danford, had his corn mill here about 1880, but the next generation knew this as Larkfield Roller Mills, run by Harron, Connolly & Co. By the 1930’s St. Kevin’s Paint Works were located here, making “Kevolac” paints for Derrington & Co. while today the premises serve the colour printing trade.
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