Throughout this chapter I have concentrated on the development of the fishing industry in County Down as a whole. In essence this has dealt with the offshore fisheries for herring and mackerel. However, Down also yielded a number of small village ports whose local fishermen worked their own small boats incorporating simplistic fishing techniques. Such an example is Killough. Killough is built on the western side of a land-locked bay, which is open to the south but partially sheltered by offshore reefs. The bay is shallow and it’s bottom of mud and sand dries at low water.
Killough in the Eighteenth Century. Its landlord as his own independent access to his surrounding estates developed the original town of Killough and its quay during the eighteenth century. A selection of letters and documents relating to Michael Ward and dating to the eighteenth century give good detailed accounts of what life was like in Killough during this period. While Michael Ward was visiting his estates it appears that he left his brother Robert in Killough to manage his affairs. Through this constant correspondence the development of Killough as a port can be seen. During the early part of the seventeen hundreds the importation of goods was rampant. Various accounts from Ward’s employees mention the need for labour, trading in grain and requesting resources for building. It was during this period that Killough developed salt-works among its other industries,
“…If it please God the salt-works will prosper and the other trades prosper but the commissioners will be obliged to take notice of the Sadler’s report.”(R.Ward, 1723)
James Feattus, who appears to be one of Ward’s trusted employees in shipping and trading comments,
“Been to Lurgan, Dromore, Lisburn and other towns there-abouts and has desposed of small parcels of salt for trial… provided we sell as cheap as the merchants from Belfast and Newry.”(1724)
Various accounts mention the boom in the salt trade, as well as the requesting of flaxseed by local tenants. It would appear Killough enjoyed great variety in its trading activity. However day to day problems are also discussed. The collection of rents is proving to be troublesome for John Jelly,
“Money comes in very slow this season… not all their grain in… rest of the tenants are not worth a groate… what shall be done with Killough tenants for there is no such thing as money.”(1725)
Francis Lascelles as well as reports of shipwrecks such as the wreck of ‘Europa’ at Kilief and the loss of seven men and a master on the ‘Pentice of Plymouth’ mentions the arrival of a new teacher. However, the majority of the accounts concentrate on the development of Killough’s infrastructure, namely the port and harbour. The first indication of the key is in June 1727 but by June 1736 its advancement was,
“…Met with hard working sinking the foundation and in one spot met with a soft clay that runs deep… the mortar under the water must be rich… labourers work seven hours in the morning and three in the afternoon all at the key the tydes answering.”(F.Lascelles, 1736) Later that same year Lascelles alerts Ward,
“We draw paving stones when put off by the tide and mended the parts of Killough bridge you ordered.”(1736)
An insight into the homemade brand of fishing boat is also identified. It would appear that certain materials were traded with Norway in exchange for wood, in which to construct the yawls used by the Killough fishermen.
“Our ship from France arrived here a fortnight… discharged out of her 1300 gallons of Brandy and some very good wine. She carries her salt, some Brandy and some wine for Norway and returns here… with timber. (Lascelles, 1736)
Further evidence for a local based fishing industry can be attested to the accounts of children making fishing nets, spinning and twisting ropes and coarse thread due to a;
“… Demand for nets this season for our herring fishing on the coast.”(1740)
Harris describes Killough in all her glory. “Killough, now called Port St. Anne… was of late made a town and commodious harbour by the Hon. Michael Ward, Esq. … who for the encouragement of the town, built a strong key where ships now lie very safe. They have good fishing in the bay… fifteen ships belong to the port that deal in foreign and domestic trade and about twenty boats are employed in fishing.”(1744,16)
By the close of the eighteenth century Killough had established significant trade routes and links with the British mainland, France and Norway. It boasted a key and locally maintained fishery comprised of local fishermen and homemade vessels.
Killough in the Nineteenth Century.
Michael Ward’s descendant, Viscount Bangor continued to invest in the town. This effort to advance Killough during this period is evident through the weekly newspaper reports spanning from the early 1800s to the turn of the century. During the 1820’s Bangor built substantial piers and wharves. At this time Alexander Nimmo noted Killough’s commercial activity and its involvement in the summer herring fishery. This fishery as previously noted was primarily based at the adjacent deep-water harbour of Ardglass, who bore the majority of travelling fleets at that time of year on the north Irish sea grounds. Nimmo commented that Killough was,
“… A considerable port for the corn and coal trade, having fifteen carrying vessels it is also engaged in the fishery and during the herring fishing is much frequented by wherries from other places. It has also the only salt-work in the neighbourhood.”(R.C.I.F, 1822)
The extent to which Killough’s fishing industry was active can be interpreted as misleading. In an 1836 report into the Inquiry into the state of Irish Fisheries vessels of Killough origin are not mentioned taking part in the Irish Sea herring fishery. However, numerous newspaper accounts convey Killough to be a servicing station and a provider of shelter for the overspill of the travelling fleet. The 1836 report also notes that Killough maintained a small in-shore fishery, which used ‘yawls’ as their primary vessel. A comparison was made between the Killough fishermen and those who fished from Ardglass. Many of the Ardglass men had plots of land and fished only three months of the year. While in contrast, only three of the Killough fishermen possessed a small farm and even fewer had a garden. The Killough fishermen, therefore, were nearly totally dependent on their boats, in either a fishing capacity or acting as a pilot to approaching ships.
“The Killough fishermen are almost always out.”(R.C.S.I.F, 1837,20)
This point is reinforced through weekly fishing reports about Killough in the Down Recorder. These give an insight into the nature of the Killough fishery commenting on the weather, the type of fish caught, the size of the catches, the number of boats that went out and how far they went. In the early part of the century shipwrecks causing “immense loss of property” raise the call for a lighthouse at St. Johns point. By 1845 an article comments on the newly equipped lighthouse. The day to day activities on-shore are also remarked upon. During the late 1700’s children made fishing nets in Killough by the middle of the 1800’s accounts describe men employed on a ‘rope-walk’.
“The strong fibres of the hempen bark are here spun and twisted by a wheel, turned by a handle and after being tarred are manufactured into cordage ropes and cables for which in the town itself, there is sufficient consumption.”(D.R. 1845,4)
As mentioned previously, many of the Killough men acted as pilots in the harbour. Piloting can be noted as bringing vessels into port, most frequently done at a time when the ‘swell of the sea’ was at its peak. A pilot was therefore a guide to safety. This was a frequent activity due to Killough being “an asylum-harbour for vessels in distress.”(D.R.1845, 2)
Due to the numerous boats using the harbour many, by the middle of the 1800s, called for improvements to be made to Killough and it’s port. Killough boasted to having a good holding ground at Coneyisland and was within close proximity to the newly developed railway communication established at Downpatrick. This would benefit steamers carrying grain or coal as they could enter Killough and distribute their loads, which could then be transported to Downpatrick. George Hanna, a pilot for over fifty years commented that he,
“Would prefer Killough, even at low water to any other port between Greencastle and Strangford Lough.”(D.R.1845, 2)
By 1848 newspaper accounts mentioned that local fish markets are suffering due to markets in Belfast. A number of steps are recorded in an attempt to encourage the people of Killough to create their own markets. Viscount Bangor supplied the local fishermen with additional boats and brought over a Scottish fisherman, “who is experienced in fishing…to superintend.”(D.R.1848, 2) The variety of fishing vessels at Killough is also shown through advertisements and notices of auction. There are several mentions of ‘skiffs’ and ‘luggers’ for sale. It would appear that when selling the boat this included numerous other objects and equipment.
“A good skiff… with sail, mast, yard, two oars and cable.”(1862,2)
Even a boat, which found itself the brunt of a malicious arson attack, is a week later for sale with an enticing list of extras.
“Rose of Minerstown, somewhat damaged, also two sails, ten pieces damaged nets nine pieces in good order, straps, buoys, compass, lantern, swing one new lead line, four pounds new mending twine and a good boat.”(1868,3)
Documentary evidence also gives us an insight into the nature and social aspect of the Killough fishery. It would appear that the consumption of alcohol by the fishermen was a frequent activity, perhaps indicating the harshness of the industry. The drowning of John McKenna illustrates this point.
“He was a very respectable man, but somewhat addicted to drink, as too many of the people of Killough were.”(1874,4)
Towards the end of the eighteenth century Killough fishermen and associates of the fishery were promoting for improvements to the harbour and key. By this period government had adopted a bill for the Sea Fisheries of Ireland. This provided an expenditure of £250,000 to be allocated to rewarding or needy harbours. With the introduction of this bill it would appear that the people of Killough believed their town worthy, some even suggesting that development and monetary aid was necessary. Numerous letters and minutes of public meetings are recorded in the local press calling for improvements to be made to Killough harbour. These proposals are based on the evidence that Killough possesses a natural harbour and that any enhancements made to it would be at a moderate cost. In one letter Russell Kelly pointed out that,
“A large proportion of the herring fleet fishing in these waters prefer the security of Killough, even in it’s present condition. A hundred to a hundred and fifty boats use our harbour, with deeper water this number would increase.”(1883,3)
Killough had a strong case for improvement. The town was in prime location to fishing grounds, could be entered with safety in bad weather and was sheltered from strong winds. The proposals for Killough were met with considerable opposition, all of which came from residents and fishermen of Ardglass. They to had their own agenda which was to remove ‘churn rock’ to give a deeper basin in the harbour. This would create more space to accommodate up to three hundred and fifty vessels. During this period Ardglass was already undergoing work with the increase to the harbour’s berth. The logic behind those who favoured Ardglass was that work to improve the harbour was already under way and that with more funding could hold more boats. The Inspectors of Fisheries held an inquiry into the Killough proposals. The port of Killough was only two miles from Ardglass this allowed extra boats from the travelling fleets to reside in Killough harbour, yet be within reasonable distance from their main loading port. They also argued that Killough harbour was free from rocks and that an additional depth of eight to ten feet could be obtained. However, as the turn of the century approached the proposals were rejected. The Irish secretary reported,
“I have made inquiry as to the harbour of Killough and am informed it is a small private harbour, dry at low water and only to be entered by large fishing boats at high water. This would not afford much promise that the scheme be carried out without an inordinate expenditure of money.”(1897,3)
Killough Fishing Methods.
What follows is a discussion on the fishing methods employed by the fishermen of Killough. Perhaps it is firstly appropriate to examine the general methods of fishing used around the County Down coastline. The vessels most commonly employed in the fishing industry in this area consisted of trawlers and drifters. These vessels made up the travelling fleet, which followed the shoals of herring around the Down coastline. These boats utilised different fishing techniques, illustrated by figure 1.1. The drifters incorporated a ‘passive’ method of fishing. (Pollock, per.com) This entailed setting a straight line of netting into the sea with one end attached to the boat. The net would then drift with the tide and the fish became entangled in its meshes. Drift net fishing in its simplest form kept the equipment stationary while the fish swam into the nets. In contrast, trawling vessels incorporated an ‘active’ fishing method. (Pollock, per.com) This involved dragging along the seabed a conical net bag. The mouth of this bag was kept open by two vertical boards, which due to the pressure of the water on their surfaces when they moved were kept wide apart. As mentioned previously, many fishermen viewed the above methods as detrimental to fishing. For example as early as the eighteenth century concern was expressed by commentators like Harris. The argument was that trawling and drift net fishing not only picked up the mature herring but the smaller fish as well.
The fishermen of Ardglass and Kilkeel incorporated the methods described above. Killough differed from these fisheries in a number of respects. Firstly, there was not a large offshore herring fishery from the port. Killough functioned as a reserve harbour allowing the overspill of the Ardglass fleet to take refuge there. Throughout the 1800s and 1900s boats trading goods came to Killough yet it was at the ports of Ardglass and Kilkeel that fish were cured and marketed. The fishing industry at Killough was small scale in the sense that it comprised of local people making locally constructed boats and utilising simpler fishing methods. The techniques used incorporated the use of line fishing. The characteristic boat of this area was the yawl and these would venture not far from the port to obtain their catch. The lines would then be thrown over the side of the boat and the fishermen would wait for the fish to bite. This activity would occur at night when the prospective fish would float to the surface of the sea to feed. ‘Night lines’ would be made in advance and this was a highly skilled activity. Shown by plate 1.2. Fishing lines were made from materials such as horsehair. Baskets and pots for carrying crabs and lines were also woven while evidence suggests that buoys were made from pig’s bladder. (Figures 1.2,3.)
In conclusion, although Killough did not maintain a large herring fishery and curing station it successfully adapted a small scale industry to meet the demands of it’s community and surrounding area. It incorporated the locally based fishing enterprises of the Killough fishermen with the large scale fisheries of Ardglass and Kilkeel.
