Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
897. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the current status of Bunadobber Mill, County Mayo (details supplied); and the details of any plans or intended actions for its development and public access going forward. [74287/25]
View answerBunnadober Mill (Moran’s Mill), National Monument 664, is a National Monument in State Care.
State interest in the mill commenced with an inspection by An Foras Forbatha, in 1973 when the horizontal waterwheel was recognised as being the only one still in operation anywhere in Ireland.
Due its cultural significance the Mill was acquired by the State and the conservation and protection of the site commenced in 1996.
To date the OPW has repaired the buildings and secured the site. These repairs have including re-roofing, the installation of new doors and windows and works to the mill pond. Associated artefacts have been recorded, catalogued and stored. Specialist advice has also been provided by consultants in the areas of ecology, timber decay, industrial heritage and building conservation.
A Conservation and Management Plan for the site was prepared in 2016. The long-term aim of the plan is to restore the mill buildings, mechanisms and waterworks, and to facilitate access to the site. While significant works have been completed the waterworks require further technical intervention to restore the wheels to their former function. It would be necessary to clear out the mill pond and to maintain it, if the wheel is to be restored.
The small, constrained site at Moran’s Mill has a restricted capacity for visitors. While the existing local road restricts access by large tour buses, any proposals to widen the road should consider the importance of conserving the rural character of the mill setting. The mill site and especially the mill building itself could not facilitate large tour groups.
Therefore the OPW envisages a more sustainable approach to the presentation of the site, ideally for Heritage Week and other cultural events with the provision of a small parking area and in conjunction with the local authority, links into the local walking or cycling routes.
In the meantime the mill buildings, equipment and waterworks are inspected, conserved and protected as part of our annual maintenance regime to ensure that the property remains in good repair. This will be reviewed in the coming months as we plan our works programmes and associated resourcing for the next cycle of major conservation projects to be undertaken from 2027.
