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Ballykerogue
Lime Kiln |
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Kiln at Ballykerogue
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This is the lime kiln at
Ballykerogue and is very well preserved. It is over
twenty feet in height and has two openings or eyes which
look like large chimneys.The lime kiln was used for
burning lime which was used as fertilizer on the land.
It was also used for lime washing the walls of houses
before paint became more widely used.Outhouses were also
lime washed.Some farmers were also known to dip seed
potatoes in lime before planting to give a better yield
as lime or Calcium Carbonate is needed for acid soil. Lime was used to make mortar for building
also.
The Ballykerogue kiln dates from around 1800 and was
built by the Murphy family. The limestone boulders were
brought from a quarry in Granagh Co. Kilkenny which
is about three miles from Waterford City.The Hook
Head also had limestone quarries and the limestone was
transported to other parts of County Wexford. Back at
the kiln the lime stones had to be broken down to much
smaller pieces so that they would burn . These slabs
were about an inch thick and were broken by a stone
expert.
Next the kiln was fired.The fuel to burn the lime was
elm and culm which is a coal dust. The coal came from
Castlecomer in Co.Kilkenny.Coal was better than wood as
it produced more heat. A layer of dry elm wood would be
placed on the bottom of the pot. Sometimes straw was
used. The pot is the large
circular part of the kiln with its opening on the top.
It was also known as the 'oven'. Next a layer of the broken limestone was added and then
a layer of culm followed by more stone and so on until
the pot was filled to the top.Then the kiln was lit or
fired. Sometimes diesel was added to the timber as it
would burn quicker. This was then set alight through the
opening or the eye of the kiln.The kiln could burn for
up to five days.As each layer of stones burned it fell
to the bottom of the pot. Finally the snow white lime
was brought out through the eye of the kiln. Stones
which didn't burn were called 'scalders'.Turf, which
was hand cut with a sleán, was used as the fuel in
other areas. |
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Eoin M. stands in the 'eye' of the
kiln
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The larger eye (opening) measures ten
feet across and the smaller one nearly eight feet. The
two arches look very impressive. The inside of the pot
was built with firestone.The kiln was built so that a
horse and cart could load and unload the coal and stones
at the top.These carts had large iron band wheels. The opening of the pot in Ballykerogue kiln
is filled in with bushes for safety to both humans and
animals.
Hart's in Campile used to burn lime and this was bought
by local farmers. The lime was delivered on the River
Pill by boat.
Lime is no longer burnt in kilns but is still used as a
fertilizer. It's important that we preserve kilns as
they remind us of our past and the hard ship people
suffered doing this hard work to make their and our lives better. |
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This kiln is at
Priesthaggard and a ramp was build to allow carts access
to the 'pot' of the kiln or the 'oven' on top.
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Erin
and Bille-Jean at the Limekiln in Whitechurch. Here
limestones were burned to make lime for the local
farmers. This kiln has 3 openings. Lime was also used to
white wash the farmers’ houses.
The River Barrow flows nearby and barges used bring in
the coal and other goods. It is known as Piltown Stage. |
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Dunbrody
Kiln with its double opening is to be seen
alongside the railway line |
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Thanks to Eoin M. and Gavin M. (4th
class-03/04 Ballykerogue) for some of the research on this topic |
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Please
return to Local History
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