84 Scientfiic Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



there is an untried, good-looking- vein of reddish-purple slate. 

 There are also in the valley, between Leenaun and Maum, and in 

 ihe hills to the eastward, fair-looking red and bluish- grey slates. 



KERRY. 



In Valentia Island, on the eastern slope of Greokaun, a quarry 

 was opened by the Knight of Kerry in 1816, and he continued to 

 work it, principally for roofing slates, till 1825, when it was taken 

 by the Irish Mining Company, who worked it for only about six 

 years. It was then taken up again by the Knight of Kerry and 

 worked by him till 1839, in which year it was taken by the 

 Valentia Flag Company, and worked till about 1877, when it again 

 fell into the hands of the Knight of Kerry (Sir Peter Fitzgerald, 

 Bart.), who wrought it till his death in 1880. 



The slate is not good for roofing purposes, as it is hard to split. 

 The best roofing slates in the immediate neighbourhood are in a 

 vein in the townland of Ooole, and in another below high- water 

 mark on the west side of Beginish, in Yalentia Harbour. The 

 latter can be worked only during low tides. 



The roofing slates made at Greokaun had a good local sale, but 

 could not compete in the open market with other slates. This, 

 however, could not be said of the slabs, which are not to be excelled 

 for beauty, strength, or size, and were largely exported to London, 

 as also to America. The largest sizes for London averaged 14 feet 

 by 6 feet but; some required of extra length were procured over 

 20 feet long. The Flag Company developed the trade, and for 

 some years carried it on very successfully, until the Welsh slabs 

 came into the market, which could be sold at lower prices, being 

 an inferior softer slab, more easily sawn and planed, besides which 

 for many purposes the small Welsh slabs answered as well as the 

 larger from Yalentia. The Yalentia slabs sold for prices varying 

 from 35s. to 55s. a ton, according to sizes ; about 150 superficial 

 feet an inch thick going to a ton. 



In the quarry there are three slate-beds. The upper bed, which 

 gives the best slabs, is about nine feet thick, and yields blocks 14 

 feet long, by various widths, the latter being due to vertical joints, 

 which bear N. and S. (magnetic.) The middle bed is about 16 



