CORBALLY MILLS

The Great Lax Weir and Corbally Mills c.1920. In its time Corbally Mill was one of the finest water mills in the Country. The building of the dam and millrace were considered an exceptional engineering feat at that time. Wheat from the mill was transported via the river in the early stages from Custom House docks, as there was no direct road link with Limerick.

Corbally Mills and Lax Weir showing the Free Gap built in 1865, known as the Queen's Gap and Caisleán na Coran (Castle of the Weir) 

MILL RACE - DROWNING

In May 1931, Josephine O’Brien, a school girl, aged 12 years of age, was playing at the Mill Race, Corbally with her friend Mary Collins, aged 14 years. While playing by the water, she walked out onto a plank protruding over the Mill Race, she lost her balance and fell into the water,  her friend rushed for help, but it was too late when help arrived, her body was recovered by Mr. D. Ievers who was employed by the Lax Weir Fishing Company. The girls mother a widow, worked nearby in Corbally House.

CORBALLY MILLS AND PORTION OF THE LAX WEIR The fisherman in the boat is E.B. Place, son of J. H. Place, Manager of the Shannon Fishing Company Ltd., the man paddling the boat is Patsy McMahon from Ardnacrusha.

William Walter Copley, a Clerk in charge of the Water Mill, with his family, lived in this house just inside the entrance gate of the Mill Yard. All that remains now are the stone pillars. The house was knocked in the 60's to make way for the present house.

END OF MILL ROAD, the Mill section as it is now. On the right was the entrance to the Mill Yard, on the left Corbally House, now the Nursing Home.