What is recorded here

Fourteen pits bit into the Dromagh earth by 1841, some reaching 120ft, while forty colliers and 300 labourers hauled coal under steam and horse power. The busy complex fed a regional canal and sustained a growing town until 1861, when the last shafts went quiet. Today one stone-lined shaft stands open in pasture, its companion chimney lost to collapse, leaving a hollow reminder of the depth and scale once hidden beneath the fields.

Coal mining area c. 200m NW of Dromagh (15253). Shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map as covering area c. 100m E-W x c. 200m N-S with numerous 'culm pits' and 'shafts' and a steam engine and forge. Eight 'culm pits (disused)' shown here on 1905 OS 6-inch map, with two 'shaft (disused)' and adjacent 'chimney'. One stone-lined shaft (4m x 2m, present depth c. 20m) noted, in pasture field. Adjacent stone chimney stack fell in 1970; steam engine removed 25 years ago for scrap. According to local information, the rest of 'culm pits' and second 'shaft' are closed or infilled. One of the larger coal mining complexes in Duhallow area (Meagher 1976-77). According to Smith (1750, vol. 1, 294) 'a vein of coal has been discovered and considerable quantities raised'. The OS Field Book (1841) noted 14 pits, two worked by steam, the others by windlass and horse power (Bowman 1934, 326). These varied in depth from 90ft to 120ft; exploratory works from 1958-61 penetrated old shafts to depth of 210ft (Coughlan and O'Reilly 1992, 45). The Mallow-Lombardstown canal (15257) was begun in 1775 to facilitate the transport of the coal from the area. Lewis (1837, vol. 1, 509) recorded that the Dromagh colliery had been worked for nearly a century, and belonged to N. Leader who had made many improvements. Townsend (1810, 418) refers to operations as primitive and depths limited. A large waterwheel was erected by Mr Freeman of Castlecor (14868) to pump out water from his Dromagh pit (Coughlan and O'Reilly 1992, 45-46). The 1841 OS Field books record that forty colliers and 300 labourers were employed daily (Bowman 1934, 326); according to local information a number of these were Scottish, most of whom lived in Dromagh (15253). Dromagh coal field was worked until 1861 (Meagher ibid., 26). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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