A Millstreet Miscellany (3) - Aubane Historical Society

Notes on Millstreet
The late Maurice Murray-O'Callaghan gave me a copy of these notes some years ago and
they were jotted down probably in the 1960s. He wrote the 'Millstreet Items' column for The
Kerryman and The Corkman for many years. Those items by him and his predecessors over the
decades would provide a great source of information on Millstreet. Let's hope that someone, some
day, will research them. These notes begin with a transcription of the entry on Millstreet in the
Topographical Dictionary by Samuel Lewis published in 1837.
Jack Lane
MILLSTREET, a market and post-town, in the parish of DRISHANE, barony of WEST MUSKERRY,
county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 29 1/4 miles (N. W.) from Cork, and 155 (S. W.) from
Dublin, on the road from Cork to Killarney, and on that from Mallow to Kenmare; containing 1935
inhabitants. Before 1736, the place consisted only of an inn, a mill, and five small cabins: it has now one
long street, with several smaller ones diverging from it, and contains 312 houses, the greater number of
which, though small, are neatly built. It is situated on the south side of the Blackwater, amidst the lofty
mountains of Muskerry, and derives its principal support from being a great thoroughfare. A small market is
held every Thursday, during the winter season, chiefly for pigs; and fairs are held on the 1st and 12th of
March, June, Sept., and Dec, for the sale of cattle, horses and pigs. An ale and porter brewery was
established here in 1835, which produces 1000 tierces annually; and there are extensive flour-mills, which
have proved very advantageous to the farmer in encouraging the growth of wheat. Here is a small court
house, in which petty sessions are held on alternate Mondays; connected with it is a small bridewell, It is a
constabulary police station; and there are large barracks for 6 officers and 100 men, where a detachment of
infantry has been kept ever since the riots of 1822. The parish church of Drishane stands on an eminence
above the town; it is a handsome edifice, built in 1798 at the expense of J. Wallis, Esq., of Drishane Castle,
the owner of the eastern part of the town; the western part, called Coomlagan, belongs to McCarty O'Leary,
Esq. Here is also a R. C. chapel, which, being small and inconvenient, is about to be rebuilt upon a larger
scale. The male and female parochial school is supported by H. Wallis, Esq., and the vicar; and a school is
about to be established in connection with the new R. C. chapel. The scenery around the town is exceedingly
interesting, and in its vicinity are several elegant residences, noticed in the article on DRISHANE. (A
TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, BY SAMUEL LEWIS,1837)
The Inn in Millstreet referred to by Lewis was situated next to the Bank of Ireland in the
town. It was a stop for the old mail coaches at the time and it was here in this historic place that
Daniel O'Connell stayed in his journeys though the country.. He referred to this Inn at Millstreet in
his writings as "a place with the finest sheets to sleep on and the finest food he ever did eat."
As far as we know the Inn at that time belonged to a Riordan whose generations have now
long passed on. This building was later purchased by the Murray family, the Square, where a new
building (hardware and meal and flour store) was opened about 1911.
Later in the 1950s this building was sold to Jerry Sheehan of the Avonmore Electrical
Company. The last residence of this historic building was Mr. and Mrs. Denis O'Riordan and
family of Clara Road, Millstreet. This building has again been sold to Buckley's Stores, Millstreet
which is expected now to be demolished.
The five small cabins referred to by Lewis are supposed to have been in the Square of the
town where Buckley's Stores, Murray's Bar, McCarthy's (O'Callaghan's) bar and O'Leary's
butchers are now situated facing the road to Macroom. The remaining part of the town was but one
big green field.
The local industries in the town and locality from 1820 -1860 were:
(1) There was a tannery at the Tanyard; from this the place derived its name, Tan-yard. It was
supposed to be between the ground of the house or sites of John Twomey and Mrs. B. Singleton
which is now the house of John Kelleher.
(2) In the Tanyard meadow there was an ale and porter brewing established in 1835 and producing
one thousand tierces a year.
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