Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Mine - copper
Mountgabriel, County Cork, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Mountgabriel
- County
- Cork
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 51.55664, -9.53261
- SMR number
- CO139-026011-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
N of the Rathcool-Mt. Gabriel townland boundary; on E-slope of mountain, c. 95m WNW of another mine (CO139-059----). It is one of 31 copper mines belonging to Mount Gabriel Prehistoric mining complex (CO139-026001-). Though surveyed by Duffy in 1929 (unpublished field sheets, Geological Survey of Ireland), it was not included in subsequent surveys (Jackson 1968). It consists in a large inclined working driven 225° into a low N-facing rock scarp. On inspection in 1984, a substantial rubble floor deposit was revealed inside, with flooding near the back wall. The interior was accessible to a depth of c. 5m, though the backwall was not exposed. From the entrance (Wth c. 5m; H c.1m), the interior narrowed towards the back wall (Wth 2.5m; H 0.8m), with the hanging wall displaying smooth concave surfaces that suggested fire-setting. Access into the mine was from the E side of the entrance, where thin stone slabs were set in an upright position. Above the entrance brow was a low spoil dump (3m N-S; H 0.5m), while a second dump (5m N-S; H c.1m) was located outside the entrance to the N. A stone maul was discovered immediately E of the mine, downslope, where further spoil dumps are likely be located (O'Brien 1987, and 1994, 357-8 and 359-60: mine 30)
This is a National Monument in State Care.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992) and William O’Brien’s monograph ‘Mount Gabriel, Bronze Age mining in Ireland’ (Galway: Galway University Press, 1994).
Images attached:
CO139-026011-_01: Site of mine (in O'Brien 1994, 359)
CO139-026011-_02: Interior of mine (in O'Brien 1994, 360)
Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009
References
Jackson, J.S. 1968 Bronze Age copper mines on Mount Gabriel, west County Cork, Ireland. Arch. Austriaca 43, 92-103.
O'Brien, W. 1987 Primitive copper mining in south-west Ireland, 3 vols. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis. University College, Cork.
O'Brien, W. 1994 Mount Gabriel: Bronze Age mining in Ireland. Galway University Press.
Nearby in the register
- Mine - copperunder 1 mi
- Mine - copperunder 1 mi
- Mine - copperunder 1 mi
- Mine - copperunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.