The Elphin Windmill, Elphin, County Roscommon, was opened as a tourist attraction in 1996 by the famous Hollywood actor Gabriel Byrne whose mother Eileen Gannon came from the Elphin area. It is the only fully restored windmill in the west of Ireland.
The Elphin Windmill is a round, three stage structure with a thatched revolving roof of organic rye. The sails are positioned into the wind by means of a pole attached to a cartwheel which revolves on a circular grooved track on the ground.
The mill was originally used for grinding corn and other grains and now houses a visitor centre where the workings of the windmill are interpreted and demonstrated. There is an agricultural museum housing a threshing machine, a winnower and other machinery associated with the harvesting of grain.
