Arigna Mining Experience facts for kids
| Lárionad Lorg Mianadóireachta na hAirgní | |
The entrance in 2014
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Location | Arigna, County Roscommon, Ireland |
| Type | Coal mining museum |
| Visitors | 350,000 since 2003 |
The Arigna Mining Experience is a special place in Arigna, County Roscommon, Ireland. It's a museum that teaches visitors all about the history of coal mining in the area. People mined coal here for over 400 years! It's also Ireland's very first museum completely about coal mining. You can learn about the local rocks, how coal formed, and even about new ways to get energy.
Contents
A Long History of Mining
When Mining Began
People started mining coal in Arigna a very long time ago, back in the 1700s. The coal layers, called seams, were very narrow here. Mining actually began even earlier, in the 1600s. It was started by a person named Charles Coote.
Who Owned the Mines?
Over the years, the mines changed hands many times. Groups like the United Irishmen and the O'Reilly brothers owned them. Later, local families took over the mining operations.
Why Was Coal Mined?
The coal was first dug up to help process iron ore. Both nearby Sliabh an Iarainn mountain and the Arigna River had lots of iron ore. Did you know that Dublin's famous Ha'penny Bridge is made from iron that came from Arigna?
The Mine's Closure
The mine also supplied coal to a power station built by ESB. This power station closed down when the coal in the mine finally ran out. This happened in 1992, marking the end of a long mining era.
What You Can See and Do
From Mine to Museum
After the mine closed in the 1990s, the site was changed into a cultural place for visitors. Now, it's a museum where you can learn all about the past.
Exploring the Mine Tunnel
The tour includes a visit deep inside the mines. Many of the tour guides are former miners themselves. They can tell you what it was really like to work there. The main tunnel was only four feet high when it was used for mining. It has been made wider and deeper so that visitors can easily walk through it.
Learning About Miners' Lives
The tour and the exhibits share the social history of the mine. This means you learn how the miners worked and lived. You also discover their customs and traditions. The mine was the main employer in the area, so it was very important to the community.
Seeing the Mining Scale
You can still see some "spoil heaps" at the site. These are piles of waste rock and dirt left over from the mining. They show just how much mining happened there over the years.
What's on Display
The museum has many tools and items used in mining from different times. There are also exhibits about the geology of the area. You can learn about the different types of rocks found there, like sandstones, siltstones, mudstones, and the coal measures themselves.
