Xinahan — On Irish Metal Mining. 303 



The latter are also, in part, metamorphosed; those at Carnsore, 

 to the south-east, being changed into Granitic rocks. Patches of 

 these rocks, for no apparent reason, except lithological characters , 

 are said to be of Laurentian age. Crossing the Cambrian, and 

 on the Ordovician, in Hook Promontory, are Carboniferous Lime- 

 stones, Shales, and Sandstones. 



To the south-east, on the Cambrians, adjoining Bally geary 

 Bay, is a small outlying tract of Ordovicians. Formerly on the 

 coast, to the S. E. of the new pier, the basal bed, a fine conglome- 

 rate, identical in aspect with the silurian conglomerate at Bon- 

 mahon, Co. Waterford (page 301), could be seen, but now it is 

 covered up by a sand accumulation. 



The Ordovicians of S. E. Ireland are separated into three well- 

 marked groups, which are traceable more or less distinctly in the 

 rest of Ireland. These groups may be called, Lower — Black 

 Shale Series ; Middle — Volcanic, or Ballymoney Series ; Upper — 

 Slate, or Slieve-Phelim Series. 



The known mineral veins are few, which may in part be due 

 to the deep drift. A few veins of lead and copper, but not of 

 much account, have been worked in the Ordovicians since the 

 beginning of the century ; while near Bannow Bay are attals, or 

 old waste heaps, said to be the debris from mines worked by the 

 Ostmen. 



In this neighbourhood, at the Castles of Clonmines, there is 

 said to have been a mint in the time of Charles II., the coins 

 having been made from silver procured in the vicinity. Some lead 

 and barytes are found in the Carboniferous rocks, and in one place 

 concretions of native sulphur. 



Prior to the stoppage of Chamney's iron works at Shillelagh, Co. 

 Wicklow (Wicklow, p. 246) , these Iron Masters smelted iron largely 

 in bloomeries in the north-west portion of the county, and probably 

 also raised ore, as traces of what seem to have been old workings 

 have been observed near Gralbally and elsewhere. There are also 

 in different places, associated with the rocks of the Ballymoney 

 Series, not only in this county, but also to the N. E., in the Co. 

 Wicklow, and S. W. in the Co. Waterford "Black Heaps." 

 These are of greater or less size, and consist of roasted shingle and 

 black stuff, with, in some of them, what seems to have been a 

 hearth. Some of the smaller ones are said to have been the places 



