268 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



the Glendun river, which enters the sea at Cushendun * The 

 summit of Slieve-an-Orra is composed of basalt, but on the north 

 and east slopes mesozoic rocks crop out, which rest on Silurian 

 slate. From these older rocks it is to be supposed the gold 

 originallj' came. 



It has been reported that gold has been found near Ballinascor- 

 ney Gap, county Dublin, and that the peasants from that neigh- 

 bourhood have brought it in quills into Dublin. Small pieces 

 have been picked up from the Dodder sands above Rathfarnham ; 

 and some years ago two small nuggets, each attached to quartz, 

 were picked up in Stephen's Green, from gravel brought from 

 that river. Another reputed locality is on the hills of the barony 

 of St. MuUin's, county Carlow, where an old man is said to have 

 obtained gold. Unsuccessful trials have been made here by Mr. 

 Kavanagh of Borris.-f* 



Small specks of gold were observed in a typical " black sand " 

 from near Greystones, county Wicklow. It is possible a bed of 

 this sand lies below the level of the beach hereabouts, as north of 

 this a thin laj?er was seen on the top of the marl, exposed in a 

 sinking made in connexion with the railway. Another locality 

 where traces of gold have been observed, is the gravel of the 

 Ovoca river, near Newbridge. 



Weaver in his explorations found small quantities in the Bally- 

 creen stream, also in Ballinagappoge (in the stream called the 

 Mucklagh brook), both tributaries of the Ow, which unwater the 

 south and west slopes of Croghan Moira. Mr. F. Acheson, I 

 believe, found gold in the Ow river, above Ballymanus Bridge ; 

 while in Griffith's list of mineral localities, Killacloran, near 

 Aughrim, is given as a gold locality. It has also been found at 

 Ballycoog ford. 



The principal Irish placer mines worked duiing recent years 

 occur along the tributary streams of the Daragh water or Aughrim 



* About 1825, it was proposed bj' the Glenarm and Antrim Mining Association to 

 Work this river. 



f In 1863 there was a rumour that a 61b. nugget, besides many smalle:", were found at 

 Crossmolina, county Mayo. In the list of exhibits at the Exhibition of Irish Manu- 

 factures in 1844 (see Proceedings Roy. Dub. Soc, Vol. 80), specimens of native gold and 

 silver are mentioned as belonging to the Mining Company of Ireland. Where the gold 

 Game from cannot be ascertained ; it is reported to have \veighed 40 oz. . 



