Report - Clashawaun Jute Works (Clara, Ireland, 2024)

[urbanchemist]

Ireland’s only jute mill, dating from 1865 and powered by water, then steam (1870) and eventually electricity (1951).

Jute was used for making sacks and other goods - plenty more background about this place online e.g. Clara and the Goodbody textile factory and mills, by Michael Goodbody.

From the 1930s until 1984 cotton and synthetic yarns were produced.

There’s now a modern factory next to the old works on the south side of road which continues to make things out of plastic.

Only the part on the north side of the road was explored - the southern section may be partly in use by the factory.

The northern block was last used for distribution and storage, and is now completely empty save for the odd cache of tat here and there.

Pictures are ordered roughly from east to west.

70’s corner

This section had some type of fabric processing gizmos along one wall.

A couple more textile-related things here.

Continued

 

[urbanchemist]

A section near the road.

Former engine house, last used as stores.

Former boiler house, which has a flue along the outside heading towards the chimney at the end of the works.

Not much in here except a Weir steam-powered feed pump and a couple of electrically-powered centrifugals - the one pictured is a Mather and Platt.

Now for the bit I really came to see - the water turbine.

The current one dates from 1936 and the last time I looked, a couple of years ago, it was still generating electricity.

Now it seems to be either defunct or resting, and judging by the rubbish the locals have been getting in.


Old sluice gate outside, with the top bit of the turbine just visible in the water below.

Inside, the oldest bit seems to be the black electrical panel.

Finally the concrete chimney (1884) which is a bit of a landmark in these parts.

Areas I didn’t do include some offices on either side of the street, and as mentioned above, the southern block.

 

[Speed]

Very nice. Ireland consistently 20 years behind the rest of Britian in its standard of mill offerings..

 

[Bugsuperstar]

Oof. Very nice indeed.

 

[mookster]

Really like that despite it's relative emptiness.

 

[dansgas1000]

Top stuff, that electrical room at the end of the report looks amazing.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Excellent report. So interesting. Full of character. Lovely chimney

 

[Camera Shy]

Woah that's brilliant, proper dated in parts and plenty to see.

 

[Terminal Decline]

I'm sure I saw this from the train a short while ago, and got quite excited at the mass of saw-toothed roofs, but alas I was unable to stop by. Nicely done, plenty of goodies remaining.

 

[Ojay]

Nicely covered

 

[albino-jay]

That has got a bit of everything. Absolutely brilliant. Great find.

 

[dweeb]

Christ, that's some belting millage!

As speed says, you just don't get places that big slowly decaying in Britain these days.

 

[Speed]

Its in Britain.. you mean in Great Britain

 

[mingerocket]

This place looks great. Top notch photos too. The Mather & Platt pump is likely to be something to do with the sprinkler system.