Our History
Churchill Forge appears on Ordinance Survey Maps as early as 1842.
1895-1915
The first recorded blacksmith in Churchill was Patrick Moriarty.
1915-1918
Patrick’s son, Thade Moriarty was the next blacksmith. His wife Margaret McCarthy from James Street, Tralee was a sister of ‘Big Paddy’ from Kilfenora. Thade passed away during the Great Flu in 1918.
1919-1965
Patrick O’Sullivan, Blacksmith, Boolteens, Castlemaine purchased the Forge for his son Florence (Flor) O’Sullivan on 8th February 1919. Flor renovated and extended the forge during this time. Flor handed over the forge to his wife’s nephew Patrick O’Sullivan. On June 3rd 1966, Flor went to the forge, leaned against the hearth, lit his
pipe, fell back and passed away.
Flor O’Sullivan, 1919–1965
​
Florence O’Sullivan took over the forge in 1919. He extended it, and despite the economic hardships of the early decades of the century, the forge was a busy place. Flor’s nephew by marriage, Patrick, began working there, and they also took on Ardfert man Joe Hanafin. They often had to set two fires to keep up with the work.
Flor always stamped his name on the ploughs he made, though many said there was no need as his work was so recognisable. Like most blacksmiths, Flor had his own individual style.
Flor died in the forge the year after he retired. He called in to light his pipe and sit in beside the hearth, and passed away peacefully there.
1965-1996
Patrick O’Sullivan, affectionately as “Paddy The Smith” was the very popular last working blacksmith at Churchill Forge. Paddy was a bachelor and following his death the ownership of the Forge passed to his nephew Paddy O’Sullivan and his wife Sarah. Sadly Paddy O’Sullivan died prematurely.
Paddy the Smith, 1965–1996
Patrick O’Sullivan, known to all as Paddy the Smith, began working with his uncle in 1943. This was during the Emergency, as World War II was known in Ireland.
Iron and coal were scarce, and the year after the war such a deluge of rain fell on the land that volunteers were called for to save the harvest. By 1947 there was so little coal that blacksmiths downed tools, demanding that supplies be restored.
The O’Sullivans kept the forge going, recycling iron, recasting horseshoes, making new machinery out of old parts. When the economic gloom lifted, the blacksmiths discovered that prosperity brought a new challenge: the growing modernisation of agriculture.
Paddy was the last blacksmith in Churchill. Six years after he died the forge was relaunched, this time as a heritage centre. Opening it was a relative from Boolteens, Flor O’Sullivan, the last traditional blacksmith in Ireland.
2001
Sarah O’Sullivan sold the Forge to Fred Krehbiel of Churchill House. He gifted the Forge to the Spa Fenit Community Council who with the assistance of Tuatha Chiarrai repaired and restored the building in keeping with its original format.
2002
The Forge was officially opened to the public on October 26th by Flor O’Sullivan, Blacksmith, from Boulteens, Castlemaine, whose uncle, also Flor O’Sullivan was the Blacksmith in Churchill from 1919 to 1965.
2016-2019
A Heritage Centre was constructed, again with the support of NEWKD, The Krehbiel Family, Kerry Group & Stan McCarthy, Former CEO of Kerry Group. The Centre includes 20 visually stimulating wall panels which supplement the display of equipment and tools in the Forge.
2020-2021
In 2021 The Forge Project won a National Award in the National Rural Leader Impact Campaign. Due to the Covid Pandemic it was not possible to open the Forge & Heritage Centre to the public.
1965
Paddy the smith at Churchill Forge, the last blacksmith to operate from this particular Forge between 1965-1996.
2002
Spa Fenit Community Council receive ownership of the Forge and restore it to it's original condition.
2016
The Heritage Centre is added to the original Forge and includes modern facilities and visually stimulating wall panels.