Christmas 2015 at the Elphin Windmill

A very Merry Christmas & a Happy New year to all of our website viewers & to everyone who has visited us at the Elphin Windmill this year.

We will be closed from Monday 21st December for two weeks, but look forward to seeing you all again in 2016, when we will re-open for tours & refreshments on Monday 4th January.

Mills & Millers of Ireland Committee Visit The Elphin Windmill

Today we welcomed the 'Mills & Millers of Ireland' group to the Elphin Windmill for their November committee meeting. 

After relaxing with a cup of tea/coffee, scones & minced pies, after their various journeys from all around Ireland, the group enjoyed a tour of the windmill before getting down to committee business in the Mill Cottage.

For more information about the group &/or enquiries about membership, please visit their website at;
www.millsofireland.org

Heritage Council Support

The Committee and Staff of the Elphin Windmill, would like to thank the Heritage Council for their Grant support and generosity in allowing us to make the thatch repairs to the windmill which were accommodated during the latter part of this past summer.

 

Elphin Windmill, Visitor Comments

We thought that you might like to read some of the visitor comments that we have received this summer, here at the Elphin Windmill.

Why don't you stop by & see for yourself. 

We are open seven days a week, all the year round.

"Interesting piece of history. Very well explained." - Marie, Lifford, Co. Donegal.

"Interesting & important historical reconstruction." - Laurence, Brisbane, Australia.

"Great." - Maria & Leslie, Dawson Creek, Canada.

"Great tour, very informative. Thankyou very much." - Paul & Lisa, Langtoft, England.

"Fascinating - well done!" - Marie, Athleague, Co. Roscommon.

"Brilliant, Interesting, Informative." - Brenda, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.

"Very interesting, food for thought." - Laura & Kevin, Longford.

"Very nice." & "Cool & huge." - Dernicoli Family, Malta.

"Awesome project - Ace!!" - Neville & Rita, Wellington, New Zealand.
"Brilliant! Better than the Dutch Mills." - Louise, Eibergen, Holland.
"Excellent, Great Project, Well Done." - Emma, N. Ireland.
"Its a lovely windmill." - Jaap & Sonja, Holland.
"Lovely place here!" - Roland, Sulz, Austria. 
"Amazing." - The Mayers, New Jersey, USA.

 

Educational Visits

The Elphin Windmill is not just tourist attraction for visitors to the Elphin area, we also pride ourselves on being able to welcome school parties, heritage groups & clubs from near & far, to be able to understand further how important windmills were to the local economy in the eighteenth century. We attempt to show how 'revolutionary' the windmill was as it was built shortly before the beginnings of the 'agricultural' & 'industrial' revolutions in mid-eighteenth century Ireland & Britain.

To organise your trip, including a personal guided tour of the windmill itself & our farming museum, please contact the windmill by;
phone on, 083-406 2113, or by e-mail to 'elphinwindmill1740@gmail.com

               

Heritage Week & RTE 'Nationwide'

The Windmill continues to attract visitors, old & new.
While the Elphin Active Age Group were paying us a visit, along came the RTE camera's & crew to do some filming for a 'Nationwide' programme that was due to be aired on Friday 18th September, 2015 to promote tourism in Co. Roscommon.

          

2015 Heritage Week

Heritage Week - August - 2015, was a resounding success for the Windmill with over 250 visitors during the week, including individuals, clubs & groups, from nearby & overseas. Have a look at some of the pictures taken during the week.

               

Roscommon Community Tourism Network Present - 'Roscommon Showcase 2015'

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Help Promote Tourism In Co. Roscommon

We can all do our bit to help tourism in Co. Roscommon & help promote tourist related attractions & businesses, both those local to us & those that are maybe not an obvious destination for our visitors.
With this in mind visitor feedback helps us fine tune our tourism sector to be both more visitor friendly & receptive to new idea's.
Roscommon Tourism is conducting a short online survey. We would be very grateful if you could take 3-5 minutes to take part. Thank you.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RoscommonTourism

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The Elphin Windmill - We're Not Just A Windmill!

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Elphin Windmill Open For Tours & Refreshments

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NEW OPENING TIMES

REVISED OPENING TIMES:

Please note that with effect from Monday 8th June, 2015, 

the Elphin Windmill will be open 7 Days a Week, 

from Monday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Windmill.

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Heritage Week - August 22 - 30, 2015

Heritage Week is not too far away now & in keeping with this year's theme; 
"Ireland's Industrial & Design Heritage" 
The Elphin Windmill are proud to be taking part in the week's activities 
(see the link below). 
Watch out for further notices as we get closer to the main event.

http://www.heritageweek.ie/whats-on/event-details?EventID=329

School Tours / Historical & Heritage Groups.

Have you thought of visiting the Elphin Windmill & seeing how flour & meal were ground back at the time of the Agricultural & Industrial Revolutions in the mid eighteenth century?

We are the oldest working windmill in Ireland & would love to welcome you the Mill!

Contact us by *phone on 083-406 2113; *by e-mail, elphinwindmill1740@gmail.com; by* Facebook message on our Facebook page, 'Elphin Windmill'; *or by responding to this post; in order to find out more or to arrange your visit.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Elphin Windmill and the Roscommon Lamb Festival

For the first time since its inception, this year the Elphin Windmill is supporting the Roscommon Lamb Festival and the various heritage activities that are happening during the weeks events.

See the link below for the full events guide;

But the Elphin Windmill will be open for tours and tea & coffee between 11am and 3pm, from, Wednesday 29th April to Friday 1st May.

We will then have tours starting at 12.00; 1.00; 2.00 & 3.00pm on Saturday and Sunday the 2nd & 3rd May.

http://www.roscommonlambfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/roscommon-lamb-fest-mar4.pdf

Temporary Closure

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the windmill will be unmanned from tomorrow, Thursday 9th April until next Thursday 16th April, 2015. Normal opening times will operate from Friday 17th April.
If however, you require assistance of any kind in connection with the windmill, or you wish to arrange a tour during the next week, then please call either 087-2161559 (Cyril) or 086-8571148 (Barry).
Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Easter Holidays and Photo Montage of the Windmill

It's Spring, and the schools are off for the Easter Hol's; 

Looking for somewhere different to take the family over the holiday period? 

Why not bring them to the Elphin Windmill? 

We're open Monday to Friday 11am to 3pm, (closed Easter Monday). 

Weekends and times outside of those stated, are subject to advance notice and the booking of an appointment to ensure that a guide is available to maximise an enjoyable visit.

(Revised Opening Times to be announced shortly).

Montage of some of the entries received for our recent photography competition.

National School Tours of the Elphin Windmill

National School Tours

Are you looking for somewhere different to bring your students on an educational & fun tour?

Have you thought about the Elphin Windmill? 

We are able to illustrate the history and social commentary of life around Elphin & Connacht from the 18th Century through to the present day!

We can provide your students with the physical evidence & stories to illustrate topics they will encounter in the national history curriculum; 

Whether its 3rd & 4th classes looking to investigate local buildings & to actively explore some features of the local environment or life in the 18th century; 

OR: 5th & 6th classes looking at actively exploring some features of the local environment, buildings or life & to investigate various aspects of these sites through history,

We can accommodate your requirements & provide you with an inciteful visit to a unique experience.

Contact us for more information on: 
083-406 2113 or e-mail at elphinwindmill1740@gmail.com 

 

St Patrick's Day Vintage Tea Party

St Patrick's Day - Vintage Tea Party at the Windmill.

At a loose end after the St Patrick's Day Parade in Elphin?

Why not continue the festivities with us here at the Elphin Windmill from 4-6pm.

Relax and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee hosted by 'The New Beginnings' Crafters Group; as the 'Windmill Writers' regale you with some of their prose; Charlie's Angels Trad Group will be playing some tunes; while tours of the windmill will also be available at regular intervals.

We will  be announcing the result of our windmill photography competition during the afternoon.

All for just 5euro a head, (family price 12euros).

So join us after the parade for a traditional afternoon of entertainment.

(Event subject to suitable weather conditions).

Elphin Windmill and the Roscommon Lamb Festival 2015

The Elphin Windmill is pleased to announce that it is supporting this years Roscommon Lamb Festival, find us on the 'Heritage Tours' page of the Festival website;

http://www.roscommonlambfestival.com/

The Elphin Windmill is an early 18th Century, fully restored windmill and is the only one in the West of Ireland. It is also reputedly, the oldest windmill in Ireland. It was built in the 1730's, to grind the main arable crops grown in the Elphin area at the time, oats, wheat and barley, into flour and meal for the local population.

The Mill was in working order for about 100 years, before being abandoned and left to decay. By 1837 and the publication of the first Ordnance Survey map of Ireland, Elphin Windmill is shown as being dis-used and a ruin.

In 1992, the derelict tower and site was donated to Elphin Area Community Enterprise Ltd, (a local community group) by Thomas J. O'Beirne and a project was undertaken to raise the funds to renovate and restore the Mill to its former glory under a F.A.S. Community Youth Training Scheme.

The Windmill was officially re-opened to the public on 22nd June, 1996 by International Hollywood Star, Gabriel Byrne.

Lamb Festival Opening Times for the Windmill, (including guided tours):

Wednesday to Friday, 29th. 30th April & 1st May: 11am to 3pm.

Saturday and Sunday, 2nd & 3rd May, 2015, guided tours at 12 noon; 1pm; 2pm & 3pm.

New Opening Times Poster

Our new opening times poster