Dan Winter's Cottage

24/06/2026

We had a lovely visit from a wonderful group whose friendship stretches across the globe, from Northern Ireland to Texas.

Michael and Debbie from Texas, USA, were delighted to visit a traditional mud-walled, thatched cottage and learn about the history of the Battle of the Diamond, as well as what life was like for those who grew up in the cottage.

They enjoyed watching demonstrations of the weaving loom and spinning wheel and learning about the skills and traditions of the past.

It was a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you for your visit, your interest in our heritage, and your kind donations. We hope to welcome you back again in the future.

08/06/2026

We recently welcomed two couples from Texas, USA 🇺🇸 one of whom is a direct descendant of Dan Winter.

Pam & Craig Greenway and Shirley & Jerry Cumb were delighted to trace their family tree and reconnect with their family roots at Dan Winter’s Cottage. They were fascinated to see the original living quarters and bedroom where their ancestors once lived, and to discover how their forefathers earned their living as spirit grocers and weavers.

19/05/2026

19/05/2026

There are certainly worse ways to spend a Friday 💛

Warm sodas fresh from the griddle, coffee by the fire, good company, and a day filled with creativity in one of the most atmospheric places imaginable…

A very special day indeed ✨

07/05/2026

26/04/2026

We really enjoyed our final workshop at the cottage, which featured a fascinating talk on the Ulster textile industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

This event, facilitated by Roddy Hegarty, focused largely on the area surrounding the cottage, including Armagh, Down, and Antrim—collectively known as the “linen triangle.” It involved a series of talks, visits, and field trips, all of which were both interesting and informative.

Roddy has a wealth of knowledge, and we learned a great deal about our past and how it has shaped the present day. This history was truly brought to life during the field trips, particularly our visit to Belfast.

Roddy also acted as our tour guide on the coach, taking us around the city and speaking in depth about historic buildings and streets connected to our weaving and linen heritage—explaining their uses and how they got their names.

We visited Belfast Castle, a building with strong historical links to the industry, and the Lisburn Linen Museum, where we were given a guided tour and a demonstration of the weaving looms.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and especially to Roddy Hegarty for organising and facilitating this special and memorable event celebrating our linen and weaving heritage.

14/04/2026

07/04/2026

✨ HISTORY WORKSHOP ✨

🧵 Our Common Threads Local History Workshop has been a very successful project, and we’ve all learned so much from our guest speaker, Roddy Hegarty, about the history of weaving and the linen industry.

📅 Our next workshop will take place on Thursday 16th April at 7pm, where we will explore the Ulster textile industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

🚌 We will round off the programme with a coach trip on Saturday 18th April, visiting key locations connected to the industry.

📞 There are just a few spaces remaining, so if you’d like to join us, please get in touch with Colin using the details below:

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07714 849729