Our Story

History

Ballinode, or in its Irish form Béal Átha an Fhóid, is a village situated approximately 6 kilometres from Monaghan Town and 3 kilometres from Scotstown in County Monaghan, Ireland. The village, located in the Parish of Tydavnet, straddles the Monaghan Blackwater (a tributary of the River Corr, itself a tributary of the Ulster Blackwater) and has a Church of Ireland church with recently repaired and modernised clock tower, cemetery, and church hall; a local shop, one public house, and a takeaway.

The Build

This has been a long awaited project, first talked about over 20 years ago. The site, on which this new community centre is located, was the original site of the old creamery building in Ballinode Village. This brand new state of the art building was funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Ballinode Community Projects and McAree Engineering Ltd. under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

The Team

The new Ballinode Community Centre is a bright, modern space built to bring the community together.

Ballinode’s New Mill Wheel

Wright’s Corn Mill in Ballinode was built in 1806 and was a major employer in Ballinode village. The Mill Cottages built for the workers are still occupied and are one of the most attractive features in Ballinode. Along with Wright’s Corn Mill, there were four other water wheels within a 500m radius of the village. These were two flax mills, a saw mill and a corn mill. In a time before electricity, Ballinode and its industries flourished due to hydro power from the Blackwater and its tributaries. Wright’s Corn Mill ceased operations in 1958 and was demolished in 2004.

In 2012, Ballinode Community Projects Ltd. submitted an Expression of Interest to Cavan-Monaghan Rural Development Programme to build a new water wheel to commemorate the history and significance of mill wheels in the local area.

With the consent of landowners, Patrick and Cathy Boylan, planning permission was obtained for the construction of a new water wheel on the bank of the River Blackwater in the heart of Ballinode.

The water wheel was designed and constructed by Peter Deery Manufacturing Ltd. Work began in June 2019 and was completed in March 2020. The wheel is of steel construction and was manufactured in Cappog, Ballinode, 200m from the site. It measures 3m in diameter and is 1.2m wide. It has a paddle design, enabling it to cope with fluctuating seasonal water levels in the river. The walls were built using local natural stone. There are fourteen piles, each 8m deep, anchoring the structure. The output from the water wheel is capable of generating electricity using kinetic energy.

The project was funded by LEADER 2014- 2020 and Peter Deery Manufacturing Ltd.