On the OcGUTTence and Winning of Gold in Ireland. 265 



city of Caen was then the seat of the Government, not only of those pro- 

 vinces, but also of Great Britain. The exchequer of England was annually 

 exhausted to fill the cofiers of that of Caen, and according to the regis- 

 ters kept in the Tower at London, we find that the treasury of Caen 

 received in one year, 23,730 marcs of silver sent by the treasury of 

 London, besides 400 marcs of silver and 200 ounces of gold sent by that 

 of Ireland — an enormous sum of money for those times." 



Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald Barry), who died about A.D. 1224, 

 also states that Ireland abounded in gold. 



The Irish for gold is or, which in the Anglicized names is cor- 

 rupted into ore; the occurrence of this in some names of places in 

 Ireland shows that these places formerly were connected with 

 gold in some form or another, though many evidently refer rather 

 to the worked metal than to its occurrence native.* 



The following names, however, may refer to the occurrence 

 native of the gold : — 



Slieve-an-ore (Mountain of the Gold) near Feakle, Co. Clare : 

 uhis name is also found in other parts of Ireland.t 



TuUynore (TuUy-an-ore) (Little Hill of the Gold), Down. 



Coom-an-ore (Hollow of the Gold), between Bantry and Dun- 

 manway, Co. Cork. 



Lug-an-ore (Hollow of the Gold), near Clonmel, Tipperary. 



Glan-an-ore (Glen of the Gold), Co. Cork. 



The localities from which gold was to be obtained formerly 

 seem to have been forgotten during the wars that from time to 

 time troubled this Island ; for it was not until many years after 

 that we find a suggestion as to the occurrence of it ; and not 

 till recent years that any attempt was made to seek for it. 

 Although the early Christians had abundance of gold, there are 

 no records to show that gold mines were known in this country 

 during the Christian Era. 



Gold " in Situ " in Ireland. 

 The small quantities of gold that have been found in Ireland 

 in recent years, seem to have been procured principally from 

 alluvial deposits, or, what in California would be technically 



*The word ore does not always signify gold. (See Joyce's "Irish Names of Places," 

 second series, page 344.) 



t Slieve-ari-Aur or Slieve-an-Aura (Co. Antrirti), now spelled Slieve-an-Orra (where 

 gold has been found, see page 5), may have the same meaning. 



8ciEN; Pboc. R.D.S., Von. m., Pt. V. Y 



