Thomas Costello : Short Biography

The Forge in Croghan has been restored tastefully with a beautiful nod to its historical past as a blacksmith's workshop. In its day, it was associated with the Costello family who produced generations of smiths in Croghan. In the 19th Century, there were two blacksmiths' forges in Croghan, strategically located at opposite ends of the village. Both forges appear on the 6" Ordnance survey map of 1837 and the 25" map of 1900. Costello's forge was close to Croghan Estate on the road for Carrick-on-Shannon. (Later, Croghan Creamery would be established opposite the forge). Casey's forge operated at the fork in the road for Elphin, by the old Police station [OS1837]. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Thomas Costello (1817-1897) was a blacksmith at #5 Croghan Village [GV1857]. He was leasing a house and garden (valued at £1 10s) from John Anderson, the steward on the Lloyd Estate (who resided nearby at #1). His sons, William and James followed in his footsteps. At this time, the second forge at #17 Croghan Village was run by James Casey, a cousin [GV1857]. By the time of the 1901 Census, the Forge (#14) was occupied by Thomas Costello's widow, Catherine Finn, and her son, James Costello (1862-1926). The forge is recorded as a 1st class house, with 6 rooms, a slated roof and 7 windows to the front. It also had 5 out-buildings. At this time, their assistant Domnick Carty (c.1874) residing with them. James' son, Malachy Costello (b.1897) succeeded his father as a smith in Croghan. The other forge was occupied by James' older brother, William Costello (1846-1921) who is sometimes recorded as a whitesmith (aka tinsmith) and at other times, blacksmith.