Derryoober Blast Furnace

 

Derryoober Blast Furnace

Christy Cunniffe

The last remaining blast furnace in Derryoober townland Woodford. The Woodford region of East Galway was once an important centre for iron working. Other industries such as charcoal making and stripping oak bark for tanning took place. The oak was sourced locally in the Slieve Aughty’s. The sites of the former  forests can be picked up in the placename evidence.  Iron was sourced as far as we can see from pockets of bog iron in the upland landscape. Iron furnaces when encountered in the landscape have two openings unlike limekilns which have only one.