| The main mine
in the Castlecomer Coalfield was known as The Deerpark how it got
this name is not known but it is thought that the lond on which
it stands was once a deerpark belonging to the Wandesfordes family,
owners of the Castlecomer Estate. The Deerpark was begun in 1924,
began production in 1928 and closed on 25th January 1969
The deerpark mines were located about 3Km
north of the town of Castlecomer, County Kilkenny at its peak in
the 1950's some 300 tons of coal a day was sent by three trains
to Kilkenny station each train pulled between 10 and 15 wagons,
the rail connection to the Deerpark Mine was closed in 1962. Part
of the Deerpark was mined opencast and was the largest such mine
in Ireland.
The area around Castlecomer has a long association
with mining, the industry is quite fondly remembered in the folk
tradition of the area. The town of Caslecomer and the nearby townlands
and villages of Skehana, Mayhora, Firoda, Aughamucky, Glenmullen,
Upperhills and Ardra were home to generation of miners and their
families.
Other neighbouring coalmines were; The Vera
(named after Vera Wandesforde, eldest daughter of the owner) and
The Rock near Glenmullen.
A museum about the mines was opened in 2007
in Castlecomer town. |
