Kinahan — On Irish Metal Mining. 269 



English artizans and engineers, and from November, 1825, to May, 

 1826, the works were prosperous, some 250 tons of iron being 

 manufactured at a cost of £8 4s. per ton. Then unfortunately, 

 through some mismanagement, the furnace was choked ; which led 

 to an expensive Chancery suit, lasting for ten years, when it was 

 decided in favour of Mr. Flattery, who recommenced the smelting 

 and manufacture of iron in 1836. Flattery worked for some years 

 very spiritedly, opening, besides O'Reilly's collieries, another at 

 Gubberudda, where the coal was of a better quality. But eventu- 

 ally he could not compete with the English and other iron- workers, 

 and his fires had to be put out. Since Flattery's time iron has not 

 been smelted in the district, but the coal has been worked profit- 

 ably for a local trade. 



In the Slieve-an-ierin district, to the east of Lough Allen, 

 counties Leitrim and Cavan, the clay-iron stone is richer than in 

 Co. Roscommon, and in former times, while the forest lasted, was 

 extensively mined and worked, the name of the hill anglice " moun- 

 tain of iron," suggesting pre-historic workings. Since the Drum- 

 shambo furnace was put out, in 1765, no iron has been smelted, 

 while very little work has been done in the coal, apparently on 

 account of the great quantity of peat fuel. According to Boate, 

 iron was worked, in 1650, " in a place called Doubally," Co. Cavan, 

 and " upon Lough Erne," Co. Fermanagh. 



To the N. W. of the Co. Leitrim, in the barony of Drumahaire, 

 the clay-iron-stone was formerly also extensively raised. Of this 

 a considerable quantity was carried to Ballynakill, south-east of 

 Colloonoy, and to a furnace near Ballysodare, both in the Co. Sligo, 

 to be mixed with other ores and smelted. It was also smelted at 

 the Creevalea Iron Works, tovvnland of Gowlaun. In this town- 

 land, and the adjoining one of Tullynamoyle, there are various beds, 

 or nodular beds, of clay-iron-stone, the richest, as pointed out by 

 Griffith and Jukes, being one about eleven inches high, which is aa 

 good, or perhaps better, than any of the seams in Slieve-an-ieran. 

 According to the record, Sir C. Coote appears to have had works 

 here in 1640, while the last furnace for smelting iron with wood- 

 charcoal, was extinguished in 1768. The works, however, were 

 resumed, in 1852, by a Mr. Currie, who, laid out large sums in blast 

 furnaces, kilns, tramways, engines, and workmen's houses; but 

 became bankrupt in 1854. Afterwards the works were rented by 



