Irish Folklore Consultant for books, comics, films and video games, TV, Interviews, Guest Speaker. The Great Whiskey Fire of Dublin - Ireland's Own Scooter, a Chinese crested, is crowned Worlds Ugliest Dog, Missing giant ice-cream cone returned to its owner in Donegal, US cancer patient developed uncontrollable Irish accent, doctors say. Livestock was common in the city at the time and the squeals of fleeing pigs added to the chaos as the tenements rapidly emptied of residents. The Dublin Fire Brigade was helpless as water would only spread the fire more quickly, and they were reduced to using sand and manure to try to rivers of burning booze from spreading deeper into the city. Between wood and flammable alcohol, the fire spread quickly. Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live: Silas Weir Mitchell and the Rest Cure: Brilliant Douglas MacArthur and his Plan to Irradiate China, Lepa Radi, Teenage Hero Of Yugoslavian Resistance. Around 4:35pm on June 18, 1875, someone from Malones checked on the storehouse and all was well. Dublin website design by Webtrade. It lasted only one night, cost the lives of 13 people and caused 6 million in damage to the whiskey alone. But on inquiry I was happy to learn that no life was lost during the great conflagration.. Tales of the infamous Great Whiskey Fire are still alive today. It didnt work. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589, A Titanic Hero at Dunkirk: Charles Lightoller Rewind, The Hidden Village Under Central Park Rewind, The Confederados: The Confederate Flag Flies in Brazil Rewind, LePique and Grandpr: The Hot Air Balloon Duel Rewind, Sovereign Sapling: The Tree that Owns Itself, New Years Eve: The TRUE History of the NYE Ball Drop (REBROADCAST of Episode 18) - The Internet Says it's True, New Years Eve: The TRUE History of the NYE Ball Drop, The German Christmas Pickle: Tradition or Marketing? The Irish Examiner again: It should be mentioned that in some of the narrow by-streets through which much of the liquor from the stores ran many of the crowd indulged to excess, drinking in some instances out of their shoes and hats, in which they had collected the whiskey., Boots seemed to be the go-to vessel for wannabe hooch-hoarders, with the Illustrated London Times noting, Two corn-porters, named Healy and MNulty, were found in a lane off Cork Street, lying insensible, with their boots off, which they had evidently used to collect the liquor. One witness, John McGrane, later described watching his friend William Smith scooping it up with his cupped hands. Staff 'shocked and deeply saddened' after deaths of Dublin Leaving Cert students in Greece The staff and board of St Michael's College were 'shocked and deeply saddened' following the death of . At 4:45pm someone made the routine walk down Chambers Street to check on Malone's malt house and store house before evening fell and the buildings (LogOut/ The Great Dublin Whiskey Fire: Zero Deaths from Fire, Several from Calling it the most child-friendly scene in Trainspotting is a bit like saying McGregors the tannest man in Scotland, The Rolling Stones were NOT happy with Ed Sullivan, Turns out, Total Eclipse of the Heart is actually a vampire love song. Interesting history topics are just a click away. Sign up to access all of it today! This wasnt the only time the townsfolk got together to protect the distillery In 1878, a fire broke out and barrels of whiskey were set ablaze. 285. Were there to be a flood of whiskey in The Liberties now, beyond a few unfortunate people who might try to get a handful, more likely you'd see groups of locals taking selfies beside the flow with a latte., According to Hollywood, alien planets all have a single biome, Happy birthday to our sometimes shady country, A dead whale? The fire started at Reids malt-house and Malones bonded warehouse on Chamber Street, where 5,000 large barrels of whiskey, known as puncheons, were stored. This wasnt finished, drinkable whiskey, like a boss from the 1960s would offer you in a meeting. The Dublin Whiskey Fire of 1875 - beverage-world.com They stampeded across the streets for safety, knocking bystanders out of the way, adding to the chaotic scene. Early Medieval Irish monks would distil alcohol in the monasteries and called itUisce Beatha, which translates as the water of life. Monks who travelled in Europe returned with the knowledge of distillation, obtained from the perfume makers of the continent. One of the worst ones was the Heaven Hill Fire in 1996. Peter Paul McSwiney, the Lord Mayor in 1875, delivered a speech in front of the public soon after the catastrophe. The research surveyed 1,000 adults and posited that 73 percent of hazardous drinkers are male, with nearly half of them aged under 34. The Dublin whiskey fire took place on June 18, 1875 and resulted in 13 deaths. This is the unbelievable (but true) tale of the night that Dublin's streets were filled with blazing whiskey - and 13 people died, not from the fire, but from alcohol poisoning. Less well known is Dublins great fire of 1875, which was often dubbed as the Liberties Whiskey Fire. : r/wikipedia The community once again came to the rescue, breaking down warehouse doors, going up against fire and smoke to rescue the ageing barrels of whiskey, rolling them down the street to safety. Kilbeggan itself is haunted by at least two former residents. According to Storymap Dublin, no one diedfrom smoke inhalation or burns the fatalities directly stemmed from the whiskey that ran through the streets. Nearly everyone was drinking it., In all, 13 people perished, all from alcohol poisoning. At 9:30pm the barrels within the storehouse began to explode with heat, sending a stream of whiskey flowing through the doors and windows of the burning building. Many thought a free drink to start off their Saturday night festivities was a gift that could or should not be turned down. A hogshead is a conventional wooden cask with metal rims all the way around. Wikimedia CommonsThese contemporary illustrations of the 1875 blaze depict just how chaotic the scene in Dublins Liberties really was. Instead, at their captains command the fire crew removed the stone pavement and threw a mixture of gravel and sand on the flames to douse them. The storehouse was located in an area known as The Liberties, a part of the city that dates back to medieval times. Some even were reported to remove their boots to fill them up with free whiskey! Host Michael Kent asks listeners to tell him something strange, bizarre or surprising that they've recently learned and he gets to the bottom of it! The high proof spirit casks began to explode and roll out into the streets, creating a river of fast moving whiskey lava, cascading through the Golden Triangle. According to The Guardian, alcohol consumption fell by a quarter from 2005 to 2019 from 14.2 liters of pure alcohol per person to 10.9 liters. However, the most remarkable aspect of the disaster was that of the 13 people who died, not one person died from burns or smoke inhalation. We shall find out more about him shortly. Change). On the evening of June 18 that year, Dublin City residents in Ireland were given no warning. Despite the valiant efforts of everyone involved, the whiskey soaked through the structure. But occasionally something happens that feels almost designed to validate a stereotype a genuine occurrence that feels like lazy writing, the kind of thing that would never make it to the second draft of a movie script because it would be edited out for being a bit much. Dublin Whiskey Fire. Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations While this disaster affected all of Dublin, a few positives came out of the fire. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The mayor set up a fund and several hundred pounds was raised to help those who had lost their homes and furniture. Firefighter Insider says that bottled whiskey meant for retail is less flammable because it gets diluted down to a lower alcohol content. The Dublin Fire Brigade arrived, under the leadership of Captain James Robert Ingram, who had been a fire officer in the New York Fire Department, and was renowned for his unconventional strategies to control fires. xx The whiskey flowed onto the streets of the Liberties as far as the Coombe Maternity Hospital. Ingram knew that to pour water on the fire would be disastrous as the whiskey would float on top of it like petrol and spread the fire throughout the city. Earlier, at 4.45pm, Malone's malt house and a bonded storehouse on Chamber Street, where some 5,000 barrels of whiskey and other spirits were being stored, were checked and all was in order. There were also dozens of houses and livelihoods destroyed, and countless animal deaths including one horrifying tale, recounted in the, , of a canine suicide. As the flames died down, a dog ran into the house of William Eyre, foaming at the mouth and evidently either rabid or suffering from delirium tremens, due to drinking whiskey in the street. The Great Dublin Whiskey Fire: Zero Deaths from Fire, Several from Booze; The Great Dublin Whiskey Fire: Zero Deaths from Fire, Several from Booze. Pigs, sheep and chickens, kept in the city hovels and alleys, were terrified of the noise and flames. The Dublin Whiskey Fire took place on 18 June 1875 in the Liberties district of Dublin. [1] It lasted a single night but killed 13 people, and resulted in 6 million worth of damage in whiskey alone (adjusted for inflation). Youre more likely to get a mouthful of oatmilk than of burning, Ewan McGregor Used to Show His Kids the Toilet Scene in Trainspotting for a Laugh, 37 Unexpected Tidbits About the Music Industry, 13 Non-Actors Who Had One Job and Absolutely Nailed It, 30 Viral Marketing Ploys That Didnt Go So Well, THE GREAT DUBLIN WHISKEY FIRE: ZERO DEATHS FROM FIRE, SEVERAL FROM BOOZE, 30 Worn-Out Cliches Movies Cant Stop Using, 4 Wild Animals That Get More Dangerous After They Die, Will Ferrell Went to Wardrobe Extremes on Saturday Night Live to Show Off His Patriotism After 9/11, 4 Ventures the U.S. Government Created by Accident, 19 Scintillating Crumbs of Truth With Which to Pepper Your Banter (Youre Welcome). Centralia Mine Fire: Devastation from Underground The exact time of the fire's occurrence at Malone's warehouse is unknown. What can you find? People were first alerted to the fire by the squealing of pigs from a nearby pen. Of all the fires that Dublin, Ireland has seen, The Great Whiskey Fire of Dublin stands as one of the worst. Why are Irish Pubs so popular around the world? The scene in The Liberties was chaos. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. In all, 13 people are understood to have died as a result of the fire. When everything was said and done, or rather when the drinksstopped flowing, damages totaling todays equivalent of 6 million (6.2 USD) had been sustained. The fire started at Reid's malt-house and Malone's bonded warehouse, in the Liberties area of Dublin. People ran toward the flames with pots in hand, or removed their hats and boots to use as makeshift buckets. After this time, a fountain in the form of an obelisk was established over the Holy Well and funeral processions would stop as the coffin was paraded around the fountain three times before being carried into the graveyard to protect the departed soul from evil spirits! Painstakingly restored by architect Deirdre, the dilapidated Gothic structure now holds a magnificent glass spire based on the original, as well as a number of stained glass windows reflecting the distilling industry and paying homage to the areas connection to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The water of life became the water of death for this chief, theres irony for you! But what transpired in Dublin one summer night that turned a Dubliners love of alcohol into a terrifying thing to be feared. Two men, strangers, helped me to bring (William) part of the way home as far as Meath Street. A total of $6 million dollars of Whiskey in todays money.The river of burning Whiskey was rushing down the street 6 deep. Hundreds of police officers, soldiers and firefighters, led by the first chief of Dublin Fire Brigade, Capt James Robert Ingram, attended the scene within 15 minutes of the alarm being raised. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Boots seemed to be the go-to vessel for wannabe hooch-hoarders, with the, watching his friend William Smith scooping it up with his cupped hands. The firemen couldnt fight it with water that would just help spread the burning whiskey, which would float on top of the water. Let's go back to 1875. Onlookers didn't realize the toxic strength of the undiluted alcoholand the 13 people who died in the Great Whiskey Fire all perished from alcohol poisoning. FlickrThe quiet streets and undamaged facade of todays Ardee Bar and Lounge would have you think twice that there was once a river of fire and panicking pigs flooding the neighborhood. Local News Mar 17, 2023 0 8 Add to Reading List . The blazing booze caught fire to everything it touched, spreading flames so quickly it was impossible to do anything but run, or in some cases, try to capture the precious liquid before it went to waste. John Jameson was a lawyer from Alloa, Scotland who married into the famous Haig distillery family. The Dublin Whiskey Fire of 1875 | Amusing Planet Instead, he sent for soldiers and ordered them to pull up paving stones and pour a mixture of sand and gravel on the whiskey. Eager to spread the message of joining the Temperance Movement, he caught the eye of solicitor and politician, Daniel OConnell, who took the pledge and heightened awareness and status of the movement. The exact time of the fires occurrence at Malones warehouse is unknown. The author shares that mourners scrambled to move a corpse to safety as flames engulfed one building where a wake took place that evening; pigs and horses ran wildly through the streets after escaping their burning pens. The night a river of whiskey ran through the streets of Dublin Fire units from 4 different nearby counties responded and the fire was so hot that the plastic lights on the firetrucks melted. All victims died of alcohol poisoning by drinking the whiskey flowing through the streets. Required fields are marked *. Local residents were first alerted by the sound of squealing pigs, and asthey raced out of their homes they discovered a dark liquid set ablaze running through their communities like rivers of molten lava. COPYRIGHT 2005-2023 Cracked is published by Literally media Ltd., The fire first broke out at Malones, a malthouse and storeroom on Chambers Street in the area known as The Liberties. By 9:30pm, the fire was raging so hot that barrels were exploding, throwing flaming alcohol into the air and out the windows of the storehouse. The above story is part of the 'Lost Leads' series - a re-visiting of lesser-known stories that have made the pages of The Irish Times since 1859. In a last-ditch effort, the captain requested thatdepots outside the city send horse manure to the scene of the fire. For our 100th episode, were talking about the awful fire that happened in Dublin, Ireland in 1875. The Shocking Story Behind The Great Whiskey Fire Of Dublin. The storeroom contained upwards of 5,000 barrels of whiskey. Word was quickly spreading of a huge fire engulfing the Liberties. These contemporary illustrations of the 1875 blaze depict just how chaotic the scene in Dublins Liberties really was. Had it not been for their efforts, it definitely would have been worse.The newspapers were afraid of the story making Irishmen look like uncontrollable drunks and played it down. They had proven their value in saving not only countless lives, but a large part of the city. People used hats, pots, cups, and any vessel they could find, including their own shoes, to scoop burning whiskey up from the streets. But in Dublin, Ireland, a fire that raged in The Liberties district in 1875 took 13 lives. . We have thousands of wonderfully rare and historically important Irish antiques, collectibles, militaria and pub decor in our Dublin warehouse. The residents in The Liberties area of Dublin, Ireland were at a loss as to how to save their homes or even stop the fire from spreading, but the quick-thinking local fire marshal finally got the disaster under control. One such event? The two spirits are produced in very different ways, and it is Irelands more refined distillingprocess that brought a Scotsman to our shores to distil one of Irelands most famous whiskies! Video: Las Fallon tells us the story of the great whiskey fire of 1875 -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw_BjCzW92k, Additional info with thanks to Donal Fallon & Dean Ruxton. The cause of the fire is still undetermined, but by 9:30 pm the whiskey casks were exploding from the heat of the flames. [2] People drank from the 6 inches (150mm) deep river of whiskey that is said to have flowed as far as the Coombe. They then used the technique to make a distilled liquid that was flavoured with herbs and spices for drinking. The Great Whiskey Fire Of 1875: Dublin's Flaming Booze Disaster Available at: https://www.rareirishstuff.com/blog/the-great-whiskey-fire-of-dublin-1875-.6767.html, Risn Everard is an Irish writer with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art and has been involved in the education system for the past five years. One of the newest arrivals to the vicinity is the Pearse Lyons distillery, opened in 2017. The storeroom contained upwards of 5,000 barrels of whiskey. But it is believed to have occurred between 4:35 pm when the storeroom was examined, and 8:30 pm, when the screaming pigs sounded the first alarms. Londons Lost Peak: What on Earth was Whitechapel Mount? Read More. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. View all posts by Ann Massey McElroy. Producer Credits The paper also reported that some fellows were observed to take off their boots and use them as drinking cups., Crowds of people assembled, and took off their hats and boots to collect the whiskey, which ran in streams along the streetsTwo corn-porters, named Healy and MNulty, were found in a lane off Cork-street, lying insensible, with their boots off, which they had evidently used to collect the liquor. On June 18, 1875, a fire broke out on Chamber Street in the Liberties neighborhood of Dublin. To save their reputations, whiskey distillers helped play down these details, turning the focus to residents who tried to help that night. When whiskey flowed in the streets of Dublin. | Come Here To Me! He is quoted as saying: "The time given for escape in some places during the progress of the fire was so short, I was apprehensive that some people should be left in danger in the garrets and cellars of the district. They were later commended for their bravery in quelling the fire and moving residents out of harm's way. On June 18, 1875, a fire broke out on Chamber Street in the Liberties neighborhood of Dublin. It seems to confirm every negative stereotype about Irish people, and a tragedy sounds like a punchline. According to Atlas Obscura, it remains largely unclear just how the 1800 puncheons of whiskey and 2,000 worth of malt equal to about 232,000 today caught fire. Oh, the Humanity! Frederick had already whipped up a frenzy travelling and speaking around Ireland so once again the strength of Father Theobald Mathews cause was at an all time high. The era of horse-drawn transportation meant that the city had plenty of manure yards. Fitout anddesign of Irish pubs and home bars is our speciality. Mr McGrane described how William drank from the flow near the Coombe, scooping it up with his cupped hands. (The) deceased suddenly fell down, and became insensible. They made the decision to let the fire burn itself out. As flames reached the wooden casks holding the liquor, they burst open, sending a burning river of whiskey flowing through the streets like lava. One of Dublin's least recorded tragedies, The Great Whiskey Fire of 18 June 1875. In this episode, we talk about the fire and then play a special version of the quick quiz with Comedian Dan Wilbur! Whiskey had to be regulated, which means it could only be officially distilled by licence. There was lots of whiskey in the bar, but the storehouse held a truly staggering amount. For more information, please see our Cookie Notice So the next time you look into your whiskey glass filled with Irelands golden nectar, look a bit harder, as there is far more in it than just the Water of Life! He said that the deaths of those who drank the fire whiskey would have happened in any city where there was a tendency to indulge immoderately in drink. He said In the present case, the unfortunate victims apparently could not restrain themselves, as I understand, from the burning fluid.. Eight men were carried in a comatose state to Meath Hospital, twelve to Jervis Street Hospital, three to Stevens Hospital, and one young man to Mercers Hospital. The manure absorbed the burning spirits and extinguished the fire, allowing Ingram's brigade the opportunity to put out the blazing buildings and end the disaster. But it is believed to have occurred between 4:35 pm when the storeroom was examined, and 8:30 pm, when the screaming pigs sounded the first alarms. Following on there was an ongoing battle for independence in Ireland, harsh tax levies, two world wars and the introduction of Prohibition and The Great Depression, plunging the Irish whiskey industry into a decline of epic proportions. People ran toward the flames with pots in hand, or removed their hats and boots to use as makeshift buckets. Pigs, dogs, and cows were now roaming around the streets in utter fright, adding to the already chaotic scenario. For centuries there has been an ever present debate over which is the best and which came first Irish whiskey or Scottish whisky. At 8 p.m., however, the alarm was raised. city was bustling with people and, as usual, there was an abundance of drink to be found. Nuns believed that a miracle had protected their convent; locals puntersbelieved that a miracle of anopen bar had obtained been granted; however, the truth for many locals was that this was nomiracle. But modern Dublin is a very different place. While experts don't know exactly how the fire started, the inherent risks of distilling whiskey set the stage for disaster. Ingram ordered that it be brought to the Liberties by the cartload and shoveled back onto the streets, from where it had once come, to form dams. More specifically the whole thing started at Laurence Malones bar and storehouse were located on the corner of Ardee Street. Its so old it can trace its origins all the way back to the Vikings. None of the deceased perished in the flames, nor did they die of smoke inhalation - each succumbed to alcohol poisoning from drinking freely of the derelict whiskey. Nearly everyone was drinking it. Men took off their hats and filled them up to get a sip. It is believed that the fire broke out in Laurence Malone's bonded warehouse on the corner of Ardee Street, where 1,193,000 litres of whiskey worth . While many did go up in flame, the swift actions of the locals saved distillery once again! Not only was it a tragic loss of whiskey, but it was also a tragic loss of life. John Locke put out the word in what could be described as an early Go Fund Me move, which saw the people of the town of Kilbeggan make donations that enabled the broken part to be replaced and production to be continued. The Dublin Whiskey Fire as depicted by The Illustrated London News. And within the chaos, there were a few people who thought, Hmm, free whiskey. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ill tell you about that after a quick break. Today, the Ardee Lounge and Bar sits on the historical spot in Dublin. From superstitions to hauntings and graveyards to whiskey lava in the streets of Dublin we have it all!

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