Mine

Adjacent to the Skeagh-Rathcool townland boundary, c. 123m E of mine (CO139-026003-), on an E-facing rock scarp. It is one of 31 copper mines belonging to Mount Gabriel Prehistoric mining complex (CO139-026001-). On inspection this mine consisted in an infilled working driven into the E-facing rock scarp. The interior was waterlogged with probable peat deposit, and it was not excavated. It was probed for a length of 3m, though the size of the spoil mound indicates that it was likely much larger. Outside the entrance (Wth 2m; H 0.6m) the large circular spoil mound (22m N-S; 15.5m E-W) covered c. 275m² to an unknown depth; slight erosion on the E periphery exposed stone maul fragments. (O'Brien 1987 and 1994, 336: mine 22) This is a 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). Image attached CO139-026008-_01: Mine site (in O'Brien 1994, 342). Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009