Life of a Blacksmith in 19th Century Ireland

Visitors are invited to listen to and partake in a live interview with our resident Blacksmith Eoin McBride in the forge at Bunratty Folk Park. The forge was always a great location for swapping stories of local goings-on. Our resident blacksmith has so many stories to regale people of all ages of times past. Almost everyone in the community had recourse to visit the blacksmith – the items you see in a typical household came from the blacksmith, the small cast iron ‘iron’, the “last” for shaping leather to mend shoes, door hinges, and gates as well as all the cooking utensils, pots, cranes, bastible ovens. You will encounter these as you journey around the Folk Park visiting the many charming farmhouses. Marvel to the sound of the hammer and anvil as he goes about his daily chores making vital ironworks for the community. Blacksmithing in Ireland is increasingly recognised as an endangered craft, with traditional techniques at risk of being lost as the aging population of skilled practitioners retires. Preserving these skills is crucial for the conservation of historic Irish ironwork. Eoin will illustrate the importance and durability of historic wrought and cast iron, frequently replaced by mild steel, which corrodes faster and strips historic buildings of their character. Organisations like the Irish Artists Blacksmith Association (IABA) work to promote best practices in heritage ironwork restoration and document traditional techniques.

Admission fee to Bunratty Folk Park applies