Editing Midleton (section)

==History==
[[File:Midleton Library, Main Street Midleton-Mainistir na Corann, Town Parks Townland - geograph.org.uk - 1903194.jpg|thumb|[[Midleton Library]], completed in 1789]]
In the 1180s advancing [[Normans]] led by Barry Fitz Gerald established an abbey at a weir on the river to be populated by [[Cistercian|Cistercian Monks]] from [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundy]]. The abbey became known as "Chore Abbey" and "Castrum Chor", taking its name from the Irish word {{lang|ga|cora}} (weir), although some say that "Chor" comes from "Choir" or "Choral". The abbey is commemorated in the Irish name for Midleton, {{lang|ga|Mainistir na Corann}}, or "Monastery at the Weir", and of the local river Owenacurra or {{lang|ga|Abhainn na Cora}} meaning "River of the Weirs". St John the Baptist's Church, belonging to the [[Church of Ireland]] was erected in 1825 and today still stands on the site of the abbey.<ref name=aa/>

The town gained the name Midleton or "Middle Town" as the main midway town, 10 miles between Cork and [[Youghal]]. It was incorporated as a market town and postal depot in 1670, receiving its charter from [[Charles II of England|Charles II]], as the "borough and town of Midleton".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iar.ie/archive/midleton-charter/|title=Midlton Charter|publisher=Irish Archives Resource|access-date=28 November 2023}}</ref>

[[Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton|Alan Brodrick]], Speaker of the [[Irish House of Commons]] and [[Lord Chancellor of Ireland]] was made the first Baron and [[Viscount Midleton]] in 1715 and 1717, respectively.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hutchinson |first1=John |title=A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices |date=1902 |publisher=the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple |location=Canterbury |page=31 |edition=1  |chapter=[[s:A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices/Brodrick, Alan|Brodrick, Alan]]}}</ref> Midleton Market House, now [[Midleton Library]], in Main Street was completed in 1789.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/20830110/midleton-library-81-main-street-townparks-midleton-cork|title=Midleton Library, Main Street, Midleton, County Cork| publisher=National Inventory of Architectural Heritage |access-date=28 November 2023}}</ref>

The town is home to the [[Old Midleton Distillery]] which was established by James Murphy in 1825.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Lost Distilleries of Ireland|last=Townsend|first=Peter|publisher=Neil Wilson Publishing|year=1997–1999|isbn=9781897784877|location=Glasgow}}</ref> The distillery operated independently until 1868, when it became part of the [[Cork Distilleries Company]], which was later amalgamated into Irish Distillers in 1967.<ref name=":0" /> In 1988, Irish Distillers was the subject of a friendly takeover by the French drinks conglomerate [[Pernod Ricard]].<ref name=":0" /> The Old Midleton Distillery, which boasts the world's largest pot still – a copper vessel with a capacity of 140,000 litres, was in operation until 1975 when production was transferred to a new purpose-built facility, the [[New Midleton Distillery]].<ref name=":0" /> The New Midleton Distillery produces a number of Irish whiskeys, including [[Jameson Whiskey]], [[Redbreast (whiskey)|Redbreast]], and [[Paddy Whiskey|Paddy]]. It also produces vodka and gin. In 1992, the old distillery was restored and reopened as a visitor centre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishdistillers.ie/2012/04/24/taoiseach-officially-marks-irish-distillers-expansion-midleton-distillery/|title=Taoiseach Officially Marks Irish Distillers' Expansion at Midleton Distillery|date=24 April 2012|website=Irish Distillers|access-date=17 August 2018|archive-date=17 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817225530/http://www.irishdistillers.ie/2012/04/24/taoiseach-officially-marks-irish-distillers-expansion-midleton-distillery/|url-status=live}}</ref> Known as the Jameson Experience, the visitor centre hosts a number of attractions, including Ireland's largest working water-wheel (with a diameter of 7m).<ref>{{cite book|title=Illustrated guide to Ireland|last=Shepherd|first=S|publisher=[[Reader's Digest]]|year=1992|location=London|display-authors=etal}}</ref>

[[File:Main Street, Midleton, Co. Cork (27224504002).jpg|thumb|Midleton in the early 20th century]]
At the top of the main street stands a monument to 16 [[Irish Republican Army]] men killed on 20 February 1921 during the [[Irish War of Independence]]. Twelve IRA personnel were killed during an [[Clonmult ambush|unsuccessful ambush of British forces]] at the nearby town of Clonmult, while four more were captured and two of those later executed.<ref>[http://homepage.eircom.net/~corkcounty/Timeline/Clonmult.htm Clonmult Ambush details] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723013225/http://homepage.eircom.net/~corkcounty/Timeline/Clonmult.htm |date=23 July 2010 }}, omepage.eircom.net; accessed 20 August 2014.</ref>

Two houses designed by Augustus Pugin, later the architect of the Houses of Parliament in London, stand at the bottom of Main Street. They now form one building and house a public bar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=CO&regno=20830049|title=McDaids, 55,56 Main Street, Midleton, County Cork|website=National Inventory of Architectural Heritage|access-date=11 January 2019|archive-date=12 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112044248/http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=CO&regno=20830049|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2015, a large steel sculpture called ''[[Kindred Spirits (sculpture)|Kindred Spirits]]'' was installed in Bailick Park. This sculpture commemorates a famine relief donation, made in 1847 by Native American [[Choctaw|Choctaw people]], during the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Great Famine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/a-famine-time-kindness-repaid-in-cork-to-native-american-indians-315377.html |title=A famine-time kindness repaid in Cork to Native American Indians |author=Sharon O’ Reilly-Coates |date=March 2, 2015 |work=Irish Examiner |accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015 (during [[Storm Frank]])<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20373773.html | work = Irish Examiner | title = Video & Pics: Flooding victims say they 'have never seen water like it before' after Storm Frank | date = 31 December 2015 | accessdate = 19 October 2023 }}</ref> and in October 2023 (during [[Storm Babet]])<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/regionals/cork/news/storm-babet-business-owners-in-cork-town-did-not-anticipate-flooding/a1708255904.html | work = The Corkman | title = Storm Babet: Business owners in Cork town did not anticipate flooding | date = 19 October 2023 | accessdate = 19 October 2023 }}</ref> a number of businesses were flooded in Midleton, including on the town's main street.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelleher |first1=Olivia |title='Help is on the way', Varadkar tells flood-affected Midleton traders |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/10/19/help-is-on-the-way-varadkar-tells-flood-affected-midleton-traders/ |access-date=19 October 2023 |publisher=Irish Times |date=19 October 2023}}</ref>