Milford Lock
A lovely spot where the river splits around wooded islands beside Milford Mills, which lit Carlow’s streets with water power in 1891.
- Next opening Sat, 31 Oct at 07:22
Desk research, not yet checked on site · Position: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Report a change
Lock times
Next opening Sat, 31 Oct at 07:22 Self-operated with a lock key
| Today | 07:21–17:01 |
|---|---|
| Sat, 31 Oct | 07:22–16:59 |
| Sun, 1 Nov | 07:24–16:57 |
| Mon, 2 Nov | 07:26–16:55 |
| Tue, 3 Nov | 07:28–16:53 |
| Wed, 4 Nov | 07:30–16:51 |
| Thu, 5 Nov | 07:32–16:49 |
Notice: Hand-worked with your own Waterways Ireland lock key in daylight hours; no fixed opening times. Water patroller for Bestfield to Bagenalstown: +353 87 951 1444.
Times are worked out on this device and change with the season: check the notice. Check the Waterways Ireland marine notices
Source of the times · Times checked 23 Oct 2026
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About Milford Lock
At Milford a green side canal brings you to Milford Lock and its bridge, where the Barrow divides around small wooded islands. Across the river stands the long façade of Milford Mills, founded in the 1790s and once among the most celebrated mills in Ireland; a fire gutted them in 1862. In 1891 a turbine here began to send electricity to Carlow, making it the first inland town in Ireland or Britain with electric power, and the site still generates hydro power today. The woodland around the mills holds a small wetland rich in wildlife. The lock is crew-operated with a lock key, lifejackets on; for help call the patroller on +353 87 951 1444. Below Milford the river passes under the M9 and splits again around the Orchard Islands on the way to Rathvinden Lock and Leighlinbridge, about 5 km on.
Things to do 2
- Heritage
Milford Mills
Burnt-out façade of a celebrated 1790s mill whose turbine gave Carlow electric light in 1891; hydro power is still made here. View from the lock and bridge.
Website (opens another website) - Walk
Milford woodland
Small woodland by the mills with a wetland rich in birds, plants and insects; paths not yet checked.
Not listed yet: eat & drink and services. Know one? Tell us
Neighbours by water
- Clogrennan Lock Next opening Sat, 31 Oct at 07:23
- Leighlinbridge
- Graiguecullen Bridge
Show 3 more
- Carlow
- Bagenalstown
- Maganey Lock Next opening Sat, 31 Oct at 07:23
≈ distances are computed along the water, not along the marked channel. Times are our estimate: 7.5 km/h and 15 minutes a lock. Check the Waterways Ireland marine notices
Photos 4 photos
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Other sources · Not known “Milford Lock” by A.-K. D. · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Changes: resized and re-encoded -
Other sources · Not known “Milford Bridge” by A.-K. D. · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Changes: resized and re-encoded -
Other sources · Not known “Milford Mill, Carlow” by Abbeyvet · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0 · Changes: resized and re-encoded -
Other sources · Not known “Weir on the River Barrow at Milford Mills” by Humphrey Bolton · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Changes: resized and re-encoded
Also nearby, from OpenStreetMap (9)
Not checked by us. Tap a group to open it. © OpenStreetMap contributors
Food & drink (2)
Things to do (1)
Services (2)
Locks & bridges (4)
© OpenStreetMap contributors