The Forge in Baldwinstown has been in the Parle family for five generations. It is thought that this building dates back the late 1700s. Many blacksmiths in Wexford were involved with the rebellion of 1798, preparing weapons for battle. The famous pike would have been made by the blacksmith and hidden from authorities in the thatch of the forge.

In the days when the noble horse was still used for transport and working the land, the blacksmith was a high-respected man, stationed at the main crossroads of every parish. No craftsman was busier, more versatile or more respected than the blacksmith.

The top photograph was taken in the 1920s. Patrick (top right) ran the forge in Baldwinstownat the time, as did his father James before him. Patrick was born in 1881. His son James (top left) took over as blacksmith in the forge after Patrick’s death in 1932.

 The middle photograph was taken in the 1940s. The first man on the left is James Parle, son of Patrick Parle. James was born in 1904 and he worked as the blacksmith in Baldwinstown up until the 1950s when he got a job with the council. The second man in the middle photograph is John Parle, brother of James, who ran the forge in Duncormick at that time. With the demise of the working and road horse, the forge became less viable and eventually closed its doors to earn its place in history.

Today the forge is owned by Ollie Parle, son of James Parle. Ollie is in the bottom photograph with his son Padraic, who restored the building in 2010 to its present condition. Padraic is the fifth generation of the Parle family to work at these premises in Baldwinstown. Padraic is a cabinet-maker and his crafts are on sale in the present-day shop.