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Report of Committee of Investigation on Bog-flow in Kerry. 491 
A.D. 1821, June 26.—Bog of Kilmaleady, near Clara, King’s 
Co.—The excellent report on the outbreak of this bog, communi- 
- eated to the Royal Dublin Society by Sir Richard Griffith, has 
supplied us with the following excerpts :— 
“The bog of Kilmaleady, from whence the eruption took place, 
situated about two miles to the north of the village of Clara in the 
King’s County, is of considerable extent ; it may probably contain 
about 500 acres; in many parts it is 40 feet in depth, and is con- 
sidered to be the wettest bog in the country. It is bounded on all 
sides, except the south, by steep ridges of high land, which are com- 
posed of limestone gravel, and beneath of cavernous limestone rock, 
containing subterranean streams ; but the southern face of the bog 
is open toa moory valley, about a quarter of a milein breadth, which, 
for nearly half a mile in length, takes a southern direction in the 
lands of Lisanisky, and then turns at right angles to the west, and 
continues gradually widening for upwards of two miles. . . 
The bog of Kilmaleady, like all other deep and wet bogs, is 
composed for the first eight or ten feet from the surface down- 
wards of a reddish brown, spongy mass, formed of the still 
undecomposed fibres of the bog moss (Sphagnum palustre), which, 
by capillary attraction, absorbs water in great quantity. Beneath 
this fibrous mass, the bog gradually becomes pulpy, till, at length, 
towards the bottom, it assumes the appearance, and, when examined, 
the consistence, of a black mud, rather heavier than water. 
“The surface of the bog of Kilmaleady was elevated for 
upwards of 20 feet above the level of the valley, from which it 
rose at a very steep angle; and its external face, owing to the 
uncommon dryness of the season, being much firmer than usual, 
the inhabitants of the vicinity were able to sink their turf-holes, 
and cut turf at a depth, of at least 10 feet beneath the surface of 
the valley, and, in fact, until they reached the blue clay which 
forms the substratum of the bog. ‘Thus the faces of many of the 
turf-banks reached the unusual height of 30 feet perpendicularly : 
when at length, on the 19th day of June, the lower pulpy and 
muddy part of the bog, which possessed little cohesion, being 
unable to resist the great pressure of the water from behind, gave 
way, and, being once set in motion, floated the upper part of the 
bog, and continued to move with astonishing velocity along the 
SCIEN. PROC. R.D.S., VOL. VIII., PART Y. 2N 
