Sir, – I read with great interest theIrishman's Diary (by Hugh Oram, on April 26th, which included a well-deserved tribute to William Hogg for his contribution to documenting and preserving Ireland's historic milling legacy. The article highlighted a number of surviving Irish flour milling sites which can be explored, and their traditional production methods and contribution to the local and national baking industry.
The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland was established in the 1980s as an advocacy body for the sector and to provide a networking forum for the various stakeholder interests. William was an active committee member during the period when Norman Campion, another pioneering champion of the miller’s cause, was president of the organisation.
Among the major successful initiatives which Norman engaged with was Fingal County Council’s purchase of the unique industrial complex at Shackleton’s mill in Lucan, and the publication of the Ranks Flour Milling Story.
There is a growing European recognition of the significant contribution which an understanding of our industrial heritage can make in addressing the challenges facing society in the 21st century.
Whether as highly successful tourist attractions, popular landmarks, or reminders of the working conditions and lives of local communities in the recent past, the history of this legacy deserves to be recorded and, where the significance of an industrial site is apparent, to be conserved for future generations. – Yours, etc,
PAUL McMAHON,
President,
The Industrial Heritage
Association of Ireland,
c/o Department of Civil
Engineering,
Museum Building,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.