Noon's Hole facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Noon's Hole (Sumera) – Arch Cave
Caver rigging the entrance of Noone's Hole
Location	Devenish, Co. Fermanagh
Depth	108 m (354 ft)
Length	3.7 km (2.3 mi)
Discovery	1895 onwards
Geology	Limestone
Entrances	2
List of entrances	Noon's Hole, Arch Cave
Difficulty	High
Hazards	Verticality & water

Noon's Hole is a famous cave in County Fermanagh, Ireland. It's located about 5 kilometers northwest of Boho. This amazing cave system is known for its deep shafts and long passages. It reaches a depth of 108 m (354 ft) and stretches for 3.7 km (2.3 mi) underground.

Noon's Hole was once called "Sumera," which means "abyss" or "bottomless pit." Locals used to think it was a scary, supernatural place. But in the 1820s, it got its new name, Noon's Hole. This happened after a sad event involving a man named Dominick Noone. Even today, official maps still show both names.

Exploring Noon's Hole

For a long time, people were afraid of Noon's Hole. They thought it was a "bottomless pit." But brave explorers eventually decided to investigate.

Early Adventures

In August 1895, a French cave explorer named Édouard-Alfred Martel was the first to explore the cave. He went down about 20 metres (66 ft) into the darkness. It took a few more years for anyone to reach the very bottom.

In 1912, a group called the Yorkshire Ramblers finally made it to the bottom of the main shaft. Their special caving gear hadn't arrived, so they had to be creative! They built a 35 metres (115 ft) long rope ladder using supplies from local shops. They carefully lowered themselves down the 78 metres (256 ft) deep shaft. At the bottom, they found a short passage that ended in a pool of water.

Discovering New Passages

Years later, in January 1970, a team from the University of Leeds Speleological Association explored other parts of the cave. They found a new section of passages, about 400 metres (1,300 ft) long, which they called the After-Noon Series.

Meanwhile, cave divers were exploring Arch Cave, which is where the water from Noon's Hole flows out. In 1972, divers Martyn Farr and Roger Solari swam through an 80 metres (260 ft) underwater passage. This led them to a long canal and then another 8 metres (26 ft) underwater section. After that, they found a huge new area that stretched for another 1,500 metres (1,600 yd) into the mountain.

In 1973, the same divers returned. After a 49 metres (161 ft) dive, they connected their route to the After-Noon Series of Noon's Hole! This was a huge discovery, showing how the two caves were linked.

Connecting the Systems

At Easter in 1975, another group followed a draft of air in the After-Noon Series. They crawled through a rocky section and suddenly broke into a mile of brand new passages! This included an underground stream. They named this new area the High Noon Series.

Finally, in 1984, a group found a dry path connecting the High Noon Series to Arch II cave. This created a complete route through the entire cave system. It's now considered one of the best caving trips in County Fermanagh!

The Story of Dominick Noone

The cave got its name, Noon's Hole, from a man named Dominick Noone. He was from the Ballinamore area in County Leitrim.

In 1826, Dominick Noone provided information to the authorities about a group he was involved with. Because of his information, some people were sent far away to Australia.

Despite efforts to keep him safe, Dominick Noone was later taken and his body was put into the deep pit of the Sumera cave. The authorities believed his body was in the shaft. A man named Cavanagh was offered a large reward to go down into the cave. He was lowered down using a rope and a basket. Dominick Noone's body was found about 190 feet (58 m) deep and brought out of the cave. Even with a reward offered, the people responsible for this event were never found.