The Sliabh Aughty Furnace Project presents their second Furnace Festival which will take place on the 30th and 31st of July 2016. The festival will include a blacksmith competition; Battle Of The Smiths, a talk by Dr. Paul Rondelez and a guided tour to three of the furnaces in the Sliabh Aughty Furnace Project.
The festival will take place at the Riverside Park on Feakle Road in Scariff, and runs in conjunction with the Scariff Harbour Festival.
The main attraction will be The Battle of the Smiths in which blacksmiths will be competing in three disciplines testing various forging skills. The objects crafted on the day will be judged on their strength (chain), sharpness (blade), and shape (90 degree angle while preserving square profile).
Metal, fuel and food will be provided to participating smiths. Smithing produce can also be sold on the day. Interested smiths can contact Dr. Paul Rondelez by email (prondelez@yahoo.com) for registration & further information.
Paul will also give a talk on the history of Scariff and its ironworks. The Sliabh Aughty Furnace Project will have its own information tent in the park with leaflets, booklets, samples of slag and other materials.
The weekend line-up from the flyer below is as follows:
Saturday 30th July
All day: Sliabh Aughty Furnace Project information tent with information leaflets/booklets, samples of slag and other materials
All day: Battle of the Smiths
Blacksmiths compete in three disciplines:
- 11.30am: The strongest chain
- 2pm: The sharpest blade
- 3pm: Making a 90 degree angle while preserving the original profile
- 4pm: Tests & results
Talk in Scariff library by Dr Paul Rondelez: ?
- 12.30pm: “The history of Scariff and its ironworks”
Sunday 31st July
- 10am to 1pm: Guided tour by car to Whitegate and Derryoober furnaces
- 2pm to 5pm: Guided tour by car to Ballyvannan furnace
For more information, see the Furnace Project website