Is it a dam?

yaledo

Not sure whether to post in history, infrastructure, engineering, county galway, maritime...

I stumbled across a fairly sophisticated bit of 19th century civil engineering. Google doesn't seem to know about it, and I haven't been able to find any examples of similar structures. I'd be pleased to hear any insight you geographers might be able to offer.

Photo & details:
http://scruggler.livejournal.com/7113.html

slowburner

yaledo wrote: »

Not sure whether to post in history, infrastructure, engineering, county galway, maritime...

I stumbled across a fairly sophisticated bit of 19th century civil engineering. Google doesn't seem to know about it, and I haven't been able to find any examples of similar structures. I'd be pleased to hear any insight you geographers might be able to offer.

Photo & details:
http://scruggler.livejournal.com/7113.html

Very curious.
A little local enquiry would surely help.
Its location seems to suggest some form of water impoundment but its structure seems to suggest some form of conduit - as in a leat.
Is there any evidence of a structure that may have held a water wheel?
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,536736,715431,7,9

yaledo

Thanks slowburner - since I posted, a local man has explained to me that it was constructed as a "Tidal Pound" for storing lobsters; with the cavity between the dual walls used to contain a special chalk which was needed as part of the process.