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The story of Windmill House, Clongill

Welcome to Windmill House, a place filled with stories and memories from the generations who have called it home. Owned by the Hoey family for 5 generations, this was the childhood home of your host, Louise Hoey, one of thirteen children raised here by Paddy and Anne Hoey. The name, Windmill House, was chosen for this house as it is marked by a unique windmill built by Paddy in the 1970s, inspired by his skill as a carpenter. Crafted from recycled materials—copper blades, honed and salvaged from old washing machines, and even brakes from an old car—the windmill stands as a creative testament to resourcefulness, complete with a unique ball-and-chain braking system designed to protect it against weather storms.

Adding to its charm, the Egyptian sandstone sphinx on the gable was salvaged from Arch Hall after a fire, another link to the area’s storied past, more of which you can read about below. With deep roots in Clongill, Windmill House has also been part of Ireland’s history, from housing rebels and guns during turbulent times to raising generations of family members, many of whom still live nearby while others carry the legacy of this home on their travels worldwide. If these walls could talk, they’d share countless tales of love, resilience, and tradition.

For those open to Ireland’s more mystical side, the folklore of Windmill House speaks of fairies and Celtic spirits believed to inhabit this ancient land. The name “Clongill” (Cluain an Ghaill) loosely translates as “Meadow of the Foreigner”  a name bestowed upon it by the surrounding Gaelic clans outside the walls or the Pale. We hope that during your stay, you’ll experience the magic, history, and warmth that make Windmill House a true home away from home.

The History of Clongill

Nestled between Oristown and Wilkinstown, Clongill is a picturesque area rich with history. While you stay in Windmill House you can see the ruins of Clongill Castle—a blend of a medieval tower house and a later two-story gabled home added in the 16th or 17th century. The original tower, with its vaulted stonework and traces of ancient wickerwork, once guarded its entry with a “murder hole” and held a garderobe on the first floor. The addition, a rectangular stone house, connected to the tower through its original door, holds remnants of an oven and fireplace.

Clongill Castle built originally on the edge of The Pale, has a storied past, famously associated with the White family, whose influence spanned from 14th-century rectors to noblemen of Eastmeath. Legends tell of the White family’s fierce stand, against Cromwellian forces in the 1650s, which led to a dramatic siege. The castle later welcomed General Scurlog Williams in the 1700s, whose daughter served as maid of honor to Queen Mary, and even hosted the celebrated writer Jonathan Swift, who corresponded with then-owner Samuel Gerrard.

Just a stone’s throw from Clongill, Arch Hall House was once a grand estate held by the Garnett family, known for its striking architecture and rich heritage. A captivating piece of that history now adorns Windmill House—a sphinx originally from Arch Hall, rescued from the wreckage by Paddy Hoey following a fire. With a determination to preserve a piece of local legacy, Paddy brought the sphinx to Windmill House, where it now stands as a symbol of resilience and a tribute to the intertwined histories of Arch Hall and the Hoey family home.

On your exploration of the area you may also spot the derelict remains of Kilshine church, situated opposite the main gates of nearby Mountainstown House. The 1798 rebels were active in this area of Mountainstown and Georges Cross. Where a monument is erected in their honour. There are a great number of Croppie graves in the Mountainstown area following the hundreds of United Irishmen who fought at the battle of Knightstown Bog on 14th July 1798, not long before their surrender.