Mine - copper

The National Monuments Service's description

On an E-facing ledge, c. 21m N of the Mount Gabriel-Rathcool boundary stream, c. 7-10m SW of another mine (CO139-049----). First recorded by Jackson (1968). This is one of 31 copper mines belonging to Mount Gabriel Prehistoric mining complex (CO139-026001-). On inspection in 1984 this mine working consisted of a shallow opening driven into the lower face of the rock scarp for less than 1m. The worked face (Wth c. 1m; H 1.2m) had a smooth concave profile suggesting fire-setting. It is the only mine on Mount Gabriel driven into the rock face perpendicular to cleavage. This may have made progress difficult and resulted in the early abandonment of the working. This mine is likely broadly contemporary with two other, larger mine workings (CO139-049---- and CO139-050----), associated with activity areas found during excavations (O’Brien 1994, 75-116). A small quantity of spoil containing stone maul fragments found in the western part of one area of the excavation may represent down-slope slip from this mine. (Ibid., 303-5: mine 3b).

This is a National Monument in State Care.

The above description is derived from William O’Brien’s monograph ‘Mount Gabriel, Bronze Age mining in Ireland’ (Galway: Galway University Press, 1994).

Image attached
CO139-083----_01: Interior of mine (in O'Brien 1994, 305).

Date of upload: 30 June 2023

References

O'Brien, W. 1994 Mount Gabriel: Bronze Age mining in Ireland. Galway University Press.

Jackson, J.S. 1968 Bronze Age copper mines on Mount Gabriel, west County Cork, Ireland. Arch. Austriaca 43, 92-103.