DROGHEDA, MUSEUM MILLMOUNT.
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Museum Millmount…
Millmount and Martello Tower are located on the great fort that towers over the town of Drogheda, County Louth, on an ancient hill overlooking the historic river Boyne.
It is the gateway to the Boyne Valley, an area rich in heritage dating back over 9,000 years, while the town itself is over 800 years old.
Millmount Fort is without doubt one of the most dominant features of Drogheda, sited as it is atop its great mound, and clearly visible from most parts of the town and the surrounding areas.
One of many legends regarding the origins of the mound says that it is the burial place of Amhairghin (pronounced “Avargheen” – in English referred to as “Amergin”), the mythical Celtic inventor of poetry, but it has also been suggested that it was possibly a large passage grave like Newgrange.
The fort was considerably damaged when it was shelled from the town by Free State forces during the civil war in 1922 and was finally restored by Drogheda Corporation.
It has been open to the public since June 2000.On December 13th 2008 , two replica 8lb cannons were fired for the first time and a new permanent Military Exhibition opened by the Mayor of Drogheda , Clr Frank Maher .
The view of modern Drogheda is also superb, if slightly more crowded than it was when Millmount was first fortified. The development of the town in its various stages may be clearly traced, from the 14th Century Magdalene Tower, to the 20th Century Lourdes Hospital.
The Boyne Viaduct, a great feat of 19th Century engineering, which carries the Railway from the North into Drogheda, spans the river Boyne with graceful power.
The Geological collection at Millmount Museum is a special rarity and holds an interesting and important collection of geological specimens., with over three hundred examples of granites and marbles form around the world. Building stones from around the world form the main display.
One of our most popular exhibits is our recreated 19th century Irish Kitchen. Come and enjoy a look at our traditional dresser with it’s selection of willow pattern plates and other fine crockery and kitchen utensils from times past.
There’s an original fireplace with a vast collection of cast iron pots and pans, other fire utensils, as well as a settle bed with it’s straw mattress and a variety of heavy smoothing irons, and a collection of some of the earliest washing machines.
The Archaeological display is quite extensive. Among the oldest specimens are medieval floor tiles found near the Magdalene Tower in Drogheda. They are beautifully glazed, retaining their original colours.
Drogheda being a port town, many specimens are of a continental origin e.g.. from Valencia in Spain, a Lusterware Dish 1500 – 1525.
The 19th Century saw the development of Drogheda’s Industries. This exhibition in our museum shows Drogheda’s great industrial might during this time, with exhibits, from the Textile Industry, Brewing, Distilling, Tanning, Candle-making, Shoe-making etc.
View our Time-Keeping machine and aptitude test boxes which were used by shoe factory workers, along with a great collection of beer bottles, bottling and corking machines, cooper’s tools, to bring us back to the time when Drogheda had many breweries. Our old handloom and spinning wheel remind us of the time before the five big linen mills were established in the town.
The first telephone exchange in Ireland was opened by the Limited Telephone Company on the top floor of Commercial Buildings in Dame Street Dublin. (They have now been demolished to make way for the Central Bank Building).
The first record of an exchange in Drogheda was in 1893, when the National Telephone Company took over from the Telephone Co. of Ireland.
The exact location is not known. When the Post Office took over in 1912, it was transferred to the Post Office – beside St. Peter’s Church in West Street. In 1934 there were between 120 & 130 subscribers.
The 2 manual switchboards were known as C.B.S. (Common Battery Signaling) No.1 and the indicator’s were known as doll’s eyes.
Look Museum Millmount…
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