Deerpark Mines

Deerpark Mines
Location
	Deerpark Mines
Location	Castlecomer
	County Kilkenny
Country	Republic of Ireland
Coordinates	52°49′26″N 7°12′28″W / 52.823849°N 7.207728°WCoordinates: 52°49′26″N 7°12′28″W / 52.823849°N 7.207728°W
Production
Products	anthracite
Type	opencast coalmine
Greatest depth	700 feet (210 m)
History
Opened	1924
Closed	1969
Owner
Company	Wandesforde family
Website	discoverypark.ie

The Deerpark Mines (Irish: Páirc Na bhFia Mianach Guail), about 3 km north of Castlecomer, County Kilkenny, were the largest opencast coalmines in Ireland, giving great employment to the area. The mines produced anthracite, a natural smokeless fuel, which unlike other forms of coal is not a major contributor to air pollution and air pollution-related deaths.^[2]^[3]

Other neighbouring coal mines were the Vera (named after Vera Wandesforde, the eldest daughter of the owner) and the Rock near Glenmullen.

Miners[]

The Wandesforde family were the owners of the coal mines. The coalminers lived in the nearby town of Castlecomer, in the villages of Moneenroe and Clogh and all the nearby townslands including Skehana, Mayhora, Firoda, Aughamucky, Glenmullen, Upperhills and Ardra. The Wandesforde family built a quaint terrace of houses for the miners in Kilkenny Street, Castlecomer and a row of cottages at Deerpark as well as several individual cottages throughout the area.

Railway[]

The mines were connected to the railway system in Ireland in 1919. The connection was closed in 1962. At peak production in the 1950s, trains carried 300 tons a day to a depot at Kilkenny railway station. Each train carried about 100 tons, which would be loaded on from 10 to 15 carriages.

Heritage[]

A museum about the mines was opened in 2007 in Castlecomer town.

Saying[]

Anthracite from Castlecomer was the source of the saying about qualities of County Kilkenny: "Fire without smoke."^{[citation needed]}

References[]

^ "Coal seams". Ask About Ireland. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ Deaths per TWH by Energy Source Archived 2015-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, , March 2011. Quote: "The World Health Organization and other sources attribute about 1 million deaths/year to coal air pollution."
^ How Deadly Is Your Kilowatt? We Rank The Killer Energy Sources, Forbes, retrieved 6/7/14

External links[]

[1] "Coal seams". Ask About Ireland. Retrieved 31 May 2021.

[WHO-2] Deaths per TWH by Energy Source Archived 2015-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, , March 2011. Quote: "The World Health Organization and other sources attribute about 1 million deaths/year to coal air pollution."

[Forbes-3] How Deadly Is Your Kilowatt? We Rank The Killer Energy Sources, Forbes, retrieved 6/7/14

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