Avoca Weaving
Archived: 13 October 2026
In 1723, Avoca in County Wicklow established a co-operative weaving mill where farmers brought wool for spinning, dyeing and weaving, alongside corn-grinding. Powered by the river and serving local households and mining communities, it illustrates rural adaptation despite restrictions on Irish woollen exports. Prolonged hot, dry weather brought relative agricultural stability, though drought posed risks. Ireland’s restricted Protestant Parliament considered revenue, manufacture, policing and trade. Wood’s English-minted copper coinage provoked anxieties over consent and commerce. Catholic Archbishop Bernard O’Gara’s appointment demonstrated institutional resilience under penal laws. Claims that Dr Steevens’ Hospital opened that year are unsupported; it opened in 1733.