Old images of Moira, Co. Down.

Only known image of Moira Castle

Map of Moira 1777 showingthe parish church, the castle and what looks like a lake
near Station Road. John Wesley described the demesne as having "a small lough eastwards."
The drawing of the Castle in the previous image shows a reflection of the couple in water,
indicating to me that the small lough was indeed behind the wall at the corner of Station Road.

Drawn Thread work, Moira - by the photographer W.A. Green about 1910.

With so much linen being produced in the area, many companies employed agents to subcontract
women to do fine needlework. This provided many households with a useful second source of income.
The finished products, with intricate and laboriously worked detail, found their way into the top
households in Europe.

Hackling

A hand loom weaver at work in his home from the early 20th C.

By this time most weaving was done in factories but in the Moira
area hand loom weaving continued up until the mid 1950s.

Hanging gorse and ferns on the door on May eve,
believing it would keep fairies away. Photo Moira 1918

A drawing by WGA McFarland - WGA Fine Line Art

Moira Street

Lagan Canal


Lime kilns

Berwick Hall Moira , a thatched yeoman's house of 1700.


Moira Station
the oldest original operating station building in Ireland

A steam train rumbles over the Lagan canal and onto the
level crossing at Moira. Photo by B Goodfellow.
This is a b/w copy of a recent photo from
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland Web site.

 

For more excellent photos of Moira in the past
see MaCartney's of Moira site