SPAB Ireland Working Party 2023

This year, a SPAB Ireland Working Party will take place at Rothaí Mill, Co. Cavan. The group of structures consist of a mill, millers cottage, and kilns. 

The mill is over 200 years old. It has two water wheels – one for shelling and one for grinding, each powered by a different water source, a completely unique feature in all of Ireland. It was thatched until 1959 and stopped operating over 50 years ago, in 1969. The cottage is believed to be the miller's house that once fronted the main road. In the mid 1800s, a new house was constructed for the miller, and the kiln man and his family moved to the cottage to tend to the newly-built kilns overnight. It once housed a family of 13. Built in the mid-1800s, the two double kiln became a big part of the mill's operations. Even though it collapsed after years of disuse, it remains a beautiful ruin and landscape feature, with two rounded corners a true testament to the craftsmanship of the era. A curved ramp to the drying floor is still legible among the collapsed stonework.

The working party will provide a unique opportunity for building professionals, craftspeople, general builders, students, homeowners, and experienced enthusiasts alike to learn more about traditional conservation building skills through hands-on experience.