For the past few years, a small group of dedicated volunteer craftworkers, led by local engineer and Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society member, Eugene Murphy, have worked tirelessly on this project.
As you can see, the new mill wheel works a treat!
Thanks to the incredible work achieved, this restored mill wheel will be launched on Saturday 24 May at 2 pm.
Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society is honoured to have renowned archaeologist, Paul Gosling, to perform the launch to which all are invited.
We would like to thank our sponsors and donors without whom this project would not have been possible. You can help too!
Mill wheel project
Excitement has been building at Thoor Ballylee as our longstanding mill wheel project begins to come onstream. Thanks to the incredible work achieved by a few dedicated volunteers, led by Eugene Murphy, the project is now complete.
Augusta, Lady Gregory’s drawing of mill wheel and tower
By the time the tower and cottage at Thoor Ballylee passed into W.B. Yeats’s hands, the mill, a few hundred yards along the stream, had been decomissioned. Indeed, wooden beams from the roof and house were bought by the poet while Ireland was at war and used as part of the restoration of the tower and furniture.
A restored but still venerable wheel on site had long ceased to function, but during the last few years Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society has been working hard to put this right. Eugene Murphy and his precision team had to design a completely restored wheel using wood and iron, and associated works to fit the tight water courses.
Then, using local materials and craftworkers, the wheel had to be remade, assembled, and fitted, slotting into place, tested and turned, paddle by paddle, each newly attached.
None of this would have been possible without our sponsors and donors who have made the work viable. Each one of these new paddles on the new wheel has been directly sponsored by a generous individual. In fact there are still opportunities to sponsor a paddle. If you would like to help the project and have a paddle assigned to you do please contact yeatsthoorballylee@gmail.com for details.
Driven by the amazing power of the Ballylee River we are proud to say the wheel has undergone final testing and has been turning for some time. The incredible volunteer crew who have been working on this project for the past few years have checked its smooth running. The wheel now turns successfully with the flat paddles added, and when the water gets up the rushing stream can turn the wheel at a tremendous speed. Filmmaker Johnny White captured the moment for a film he is making on the project.
Things are getting exciting! Join us for our official launch of the mill wheel on Saturday 24 May 2025. And it is not too late to play your part by sponsoring a paddle, or contributing to our work in whatever way you can.
