Lemybrien to Caarrick on Suir road

dewdrop

Does anyone know the original purpose for the walled cuttings (badly described by me) along this lovely road. I know in recent times they were used to store gravel probably by the Council. Every time i pass along this road i admire the stonework and wonder why they were built.

Poor Uncle Tom

They're on several roads, coast road, Dungarvan to Clonmel road, Lemybrien to Carrick road.

There are 47 of those Depots on the Carrick to Lemybrien road which was built by the local landowners under the aegis of the Grand Jury, this particular road was started construction in 1840 and took 5 years to build.

They were carried on under a Work Relief Scheme started in 1846 as a means of providing work and badly needed income to able bodied men who's families were effected by the plight of the famine.

There were new roads built between the areas mentioned above and some of them are still called 'the new line' by older generations. As part of the works to construct the new roads rocks and stones had to be broken to required sizes, the workers had rings to pass stones through and the rocks had to be broken and chipped until they passed through the metal hoops provided. These depots provided shelter for the workers to do their job as well as providing a sheltered area to light a small fire to boil water for their breaks and also provide an area to store the broken stone until it was needed on the roads.

mike65

Its a brilliant driving road (but I probably shouldn't say that!).

dewdrop

Thanks Poor Uncle Tom for this very informative post. As we pass along this route we should spare a thought for all these workers who toiled all day long breaking stones and no doubt exchanging stories to relieve the boredom.