Kinahan — On Irish Metal Mining. 



243 



counties Limerick and Clare (clay-iron stone). Hely Dulton, in his Statistics, History 

 Co. Galway, 1824, states: — "Iron ore was formerly raised in the neighbourhood of 

 Woodford, and after being mixed with that brought up the Shannon from Killaloe 

 by a Mr. Crossdale, was smelted near that village, part of the estate of Sir John Burke. 

 The works were carried on so extensively, that they devoured all the great oak woods 

 with which that country abounded, and were then abandoned. Mr. Berry, I understand, 

 at present raises ore on part of Lord Clanricarde's estate." 



* At the present time there are no records of mines solely worked for iron, but 

 along the coast-line are the remains of different furnaces. According to tradition these 

 belonged to Petty (ancestor of the Lords Lansdowne), who imported iron ore about the 

 year 1600, to smelt it with charcoal, made in the wood which then abounded in the 

 country. Nennius, writing in the ninth century (Historia Britonum) mentions iron as 

 being worked in the neighbourhood of Killamey Lakes ; but the site of the old mine is now 

 unknown. The remains of very ancient bloomeries and furnaces have been found at 

 Killarney and Blackstones (See County History). 



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