Preserved Dunphy’s Mill rekindling interest in the past
Three brothers have worked on restoring an 18th century water-powered grain mill and drying kiln in Mullinavat, south Co. Kilkenny.
Tours of the landmark stone building have now become a key attraction for those interested in the ancient milling tradition.
A tour of Deerpark Mill is taking place next Saturday, August 15, from 1:00p.m to 4:30p.m, as part of Heritage Week.
Also known as 'Dunphy’s Mill', the building has been cared for and restored by brothers John, Michael, and Richard Dunphy.
The mill served farmers from Mullinavat and the surrounding areas by drying and grinding oats - which was the predominant crop in the 18th century - along with barley, wheat, and maize.
Four generations of the Dunphy family have worked in the imposing mill and kiln on the banks of the Blackwater.
The brothers are now the proud custodians of what is one of the few remaining working mills in the county.
The mill restoration project is one of many supported by Kilkenny County Council.
It is being spotlighted as part of the local authority’s County Kilkenny Heritage Strategy 2026-2030, launched on Wednesday, August 5.
As children and later as teenagers, the four Dunphy boys worked in their late parents’ mill on the different lofts.
While the mill ceased to work commercially in 1961, an electrically powered mill was installed shortly afterwards for personal use.
The internal mechanisms of the water-powered mill have been preserved since that time in original condition.
John Dunphy recalled: “We started restoring the mill during Covid.
“There was no hurling, no mass, no pub, nowhere to go. We came to the mill after work and at weekends and we began clearing the site, getting rid of lots of the ivy.
“The late Marcus Sweeney of the Mills Society of Ireland and Fancroft Mill on the Tipperary/Offaly border provided great advice, support and encouragement to take on the task.
"He set us on the right road. He was impressed with the way we had protected everything from the elements and saw its potential," he said.
Conservation
The Dunphys contacted Kilkenny County Council and were encouraged by the council's architectural conservation officer, Francis Cody to apply for Built Heritage funding.
"We’ve done lots of work but given the interest we’ve seen since we started to open for local groups, we will do more.
"We love the Heritage Week event with Buckstown Vintage Club and Seamus Anderson," Dunphy said.
He added that they also hold New Year's Day open event, which is "growing in popularity".
“Preserving mills like this is very important, not just for the local area here but for our history and heritage.
"We’ve done it up bit by bit and have had loads of support, help and advice along the way from statutory bodies and from mill, vintage, history and heritage enthusiasts too," Dunphy added.
Local active retirement groups, school children, historical and architectural society groups and the Mills Society of Ireland have all visited the mill, with the Dunphy family always obliging, where possible.
The mill's waterwheel decayed over time but with the help of Kilkenny County Council, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, and the craftmanship of wheelright Pat Sheehan, the wheel was restored in 2023.
Dunphy explained: "It took about three months to be constructed, using oak and Douglas Fir, and incorporating all the components which remained intact from the existing wheel such as rosettes, bands, and gudgeons.
"Thankfully, the shaft was intact. This has allowed the internal machinery to rotate again as it did for 150 years."
The Dunphy family kept the roof intact over the years, something that was said to have really helped to preserve the site and its historical and cultural importance.
Heritage Week
As part of Heritage Week events, Dunphy provides guided tours and insight into life as a milling family.
The tours also open ledgers from the mill, day books and records from local shops and businesses, dating to 1869.
This year’s event has grown over the years and is a much anticipated day for history, heritage, and vintage machinery enthusiasts.
Dunphy and his family are joined each year by the local Buckstown Vintage Club and the Irish Vintage Society for a display of vintage stationary engines, including cars, tractors, motor bikes, horse-drawn farm machinery, and working model steam engines and threshers.
The newly published County Kilkenny Heritage Strategy 2026-2030 report showcases how the future of the region's heritage depends on the everyday choices and shared responsibilities of communities, landowners, businesses, the local authority and visitors alike, and families like the Dunphys.
The comprehensive, 60-page report acknowledges the tireless work of local communities and volunteers, which sustains the heritage of the county.
It also highlights the challenge of how to adequately support their efforts.
Kilkenny’s heritage is a significant revenue generator across the city and county, with Fáilte Ireland data from 2024 showing that of the 655,000 domestic and international visitors who spent €179 million in Kilkenny that year, 70% engaged with heritage and related sites.
Dunphy said the family is proud of their work to preserve a key part of Kilkenny’s milling history and love opening the mill for private tours.
He said: “We’ve had visitors from Australia, America and Canada, New Zealand, France, Holland, Great Britain among others. There’s also growing interest across Kilkenny and surrounding counties.
“Protecting and preserving mills like this is very important and its rekindling an interest in all things past.
"The beauty of a site like this is that we can let the water flow in, get the mill wheel going, and people can see an ancient industry in action.
"Long may the interest continue.”
