Blennerville Windmill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blennerville Windmill
Blennerville Windmill
General information
Address	11 Windmill Lane
Town or city	Blennerville
Country	Ireland
Coordinates	52°15′24″N 9°44′15″W / 52.2567°N 9.7374°W / 52.2567; -9.7374
Completed	1800

The Blennerville Windmill is a tall, stone windmill located in Blennerville, County Kerry, Ireland. It stands 21.30 meters (about 70 feet) high and has five floors. These floors include the ground floor, an intermediate floor, a grinding floor, a stone floor, and a cap floor at the very top.

This historic windmill was once very important for grinding grain. Today, it is a popular visitor attraction where you can learn about its past and how it works.

The Story of Blennerville Windmill

Building a New Mill

The Blennerville Windmill was built in the year 1800. It was ordered by Sir Rowland Blennerhassett. This important mill had two sets of grinding stones. These stones were used to turn grain into flour.

The grinding stones were made from a special type of rock called French bir. The mill helped local people by grinding their grain. It also prepared grain to be sent to Great Britain.

Why the Mill Stopped Working

Towards the end of the 1800s, the windmill started to fall apart. Several new inventions and changes made it less useful.

• Steam Engines: New steam engines became popular. They could grind grain faster than windmills.
• River Problems: The river channel leading to Blennerville became too salty. This made it harder for ships to reach the mill.
• New Waterways: The Tralee Ship Canal opened in 1846. This new canal made it easier for ships to go to other places.
• New Harbours: The Fenit harbour was built in 1880. This new port also changed shipping routes.

Because of these changes, the Blennerville Windmill was no longer needed as much. It slowly fell into disrepair.

Bringing the Mill Back to Life

In 1981, the Tralee Urban District Council bought the old mill. They wanted to fix it up and bring it back to life. The restoration work began in June 1984.

After years of hard work, the restored mill was officially opened in 1990. The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) at the time, Charles Haughey, attended the opening. Today, the Blennerville Windmill grinds wheat again. It is the only commercial windmill still working in Ireland.

How the Windmill Works

Inside the Mill

The windmill has a large wooden shaft called a windshaft. This shaft weighs one ton! It helps connect the sails to the gears inside.

The mill's large wings (or sails) are 18.29 meters (60 feet) long. These wings catch the wind and turn the machinery.

Inside, there are special wheels with iron teeth. These wheels help transfer power from the turning sails to the grinding stones.

Turning the Mill

To make the mill face the wind, there is a special winding mechanism. It is operated from outside the mill using a long chain. Turning the mill is a slow process. It takes about two hours to turn the mill 180 degrees!

The mill also has a sack hoist. This is a clever system that uses a conical wheel. It helps lift heavy sacks of grain up to the grinding floor.

On the intermediate floor, there is a strong wooden and iron structure. This used to hold a motor. You can also see the large gears that help turn the grinding stones.

Visiting Blennerville Windmill

Today, the Blennerville Windmill is a fantastic place to visit. There is a special visitor centre.

Inside the visitor centre, you can find:

• A craft centre, where you can see local crafts.
• Model railways, which are fun to watch.
• An art gallery, showing local artwork.
• An audio-visual presentation, to learn more about the mill.
• A restaurant, where you can grab a bite to eat.

You can also take a guided tour inside the windmill. A guide will show you around and explain how everything works. It's a great way to learn about this important piece of Irish history!

Gallery

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  Winding mechanism

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  Winding pully

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  Winding mechanism

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  Windshaft and cog wheel

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  Cog wheels

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  Grinding equipment

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  Footstep bearing and stone nut at spindle

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  Wooden pulley

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  Footstep bearing main shaft

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  Standard for former motor and a tip of the great spurwheel