Mine

On the E slope of Mount Gabriel, on the S edge of a large blanket bog basin, c. 55m to the S of another mine (CO139-054----). This is a possible copper mining site belonging to Mount Gabriel Prehistoric mining complex (CO139-026001-). On inspection in 1990 it consisted of a flooded small surface opening, probably containing a peaty infill deposit. It appeared to be a small inclined working (D 2.5m min.), driven into the base of a 0.55m high E-facing rock scarp. The entrance (Wth 0.9m; H 0.45m) has a low rounded profile. The absence of any obvious spoil dump may be explained by the large-scale blanket bog growth to the W side of the mine. Alternatively, it is possible that the rock from this small working was transported N to another mine’s dumps for processing. (O'Brien 1994, 358-361: mine 31). 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). Date of upload: 30 June 2023