Mayo memories: woollen mills were ablaze in January 1907
By Tom Gillespie
On Wednesday, January 23, 1907, at 3.30 a.m., Mr. James Sherry, brother to the manager of the Foxford Woollen Mills, discovered that the yarn store and blanket room attached to the factory were on fire, and immediately raised the alarm by ringing the factory bell.
The Connaught Telegraph reported: In about 10 minutes there was assembled a willing brigade of volunteers, some of whom set to work in cutting off the connection between those departments and the machine and finishing rooms.
Later, about 200 people were organised to try and keep the conflagration confined to where it originally broke out, and, under the direction of the manager, Mr. Frank Sherry, they did heroic work, many of the volunteers suffering burns and wounds caused by falling slates, bricks, etc.
Fortunately no one suffered serious injuries, although the danger at time was, indeed, great.
The wind blew from the south-east across the River Moy, on whose bank the factory is built, and so saved about 200 people from being thrown out of employment. Some 600 people were dependant on these workers.
The damage done amounted to some £8,000 which was believed to be covered by insurance.
The only substantial building in connection with the mills had been destroyed, together with a large quantity of yarn and the upper portion of the Convent School.
All the people of the town - Protestant and Catholic - worked with untiring energy to combat the flames, and succeeded in keeping the fire from spreading to the adjoining buildings, mostly wooden structures, which contained the machinery, and which it would have been impossible to save owing to the want of a proper fire extinguishing apparatus. Fortunately there were no bad accidents.
The Right Rev. Monsignor Staunton, Swinford, who visited the scene of the fire, on being interviewed by The Connaught Telegraph correspondent, said that the work would continue as usual in a few days, as yarns being ordered, and temporary provision would be made in the way of building accommodation.
The loss in yarn alone was estimated at between £3,000 and £4,000. There was a great number of hands employed at work in the factory, and very few of them had been out out of work by reason of the fire.
The origin of its outbreak had not been ascertained.
The school buildings, where the fire originated, were separated from the rest by a passage. But for this the damage could have been much greater.
The spectacle presented by the fire was terrifying.
The blaze reached high into the heavens, and glared along the waters of the Moy.
The roof crashed with terrific force, and for a time it seemed as if the mills were doomed to entire destruction.
The Upper Convent School, the industrial room and the yarn store were evidently at the mercy of the fire, and the people immediately set themselves to arrest the flames progress, and prevent them from reaching the mills proper.
Willing hands were soon at work. Portion of the roofing was cut away, and a good clear space existed between the fire and the mills.
At great personal risk the men of the town ascended the roof and removed the slates, and another party worked in plying the blaze with water from the Moy.
About seven o’clock the greatest relief was felt by the assurance that the further progress of the blaze was arrested.
Luckily, the morning was calm, and the burning sparks did no damage.
Fr. Henry and the Vincentian Fathers were amongst the earliest on the scene, and gave valuable help. The police, too, were soon on the spot, and gave valuable help.
The girls’ school records and three splendid pianos were destroyed, but the serious loss was in the yarn store.
Men were at work all day clearing away the debris, and the work of the mill, it was hoped, would go on without serious interruption.