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XXV.— IEISH METAL MINING. By G. H. KINAHAN, 



M.E.I. A., Etc. 



[Read, March 24, 1886.] 



The lists of mines published by Griffith in the Dublin Quarterly 

 Journal of Science (1861) were corrected and revised in chap. xxi. 

 section v. pp. 361, &c, of the Geology of Ireland (1878) ; but these 

 now require revision. It is therefore proposed to again revise and, 

 at the same time, to re-arrange them, first giving separate lists for 

 each mineral arranged in counties, or in "fields" where the ores are 

 bedded, with, subsequently, short County Histories of the mines, 

 thus dividing the subject into two parts. 



In both parts the Counties, as far as possible, will be arranged 

 alphabetically. In Part I. the lists include all the places where 

 the different minerals are recorded as found in appreciable quanti- 

 ties ; and in Part II., when possible, the present state of the lodes 

 "will be stated ; but in both Parts, in the majority of cases, the infor- 

 mation given as to the work done, on account of the unsatisfactory 

 way in which the old mining records and statistics were kept, will 

 be on hearsay evidence. The statements, therefore, cannot be 

 taken as perfectly satisfactory, as a large portion may require to 

 be substantiated. 



The history of the early Irish mining adventures is very scant, 

 the records being vague. The ancient mines are referred to by 

 Griffith, Kane, and other modern explorers ; but necessarily the 

 remarks had to be more or less vague, and do not give much infor- 

 mation. Griffith, however, states : — " Many of our mining exca- 

 vations exhibit appearances similar to the surface workings of the 

 most ancient mines in Cornwall, which are generally attributed to 

 the Phoenicians." 



