Ballycorus Leadmines

Ballycorus Leadmines (lga|Baile Mhic Fheorais|Homestead of the Pearse Family) refers to the ruins of a mine that existed in the Ballycorus area, on the slopes of Carrickgolligan. It is located close to Kilternan and Shankill, County Dublin, Ireland.

The mine was opened about 1805 by the Lead Mining Company of Ireland who erected a smelting works at the foot of Carrickgolligan for processing of lead and silver ores taken from the local mine. Ore was also brought here by horse and cart from Glendalough and other Wicklow mines for processing. The ore was melted and converted into ingots, the silver separated and refined, and litharge, red lead and shot manufactured. The mine was closed during the 1920s. Mine workers were housed in nearby cottages; several have been maintained and redeveloped into modern housing.

The ruins of the chimney complex consists of an 80 foot vertical granite tower section with external steps and a mile long brickwork overground flue section, partially collapsed, run up the hill from the smelting works to join the vertical section. The chimney has external cantilever steps (some intentionally broken to prevent access, following an accident),Fact|date=February 2008 each a single slab of granite. The hilltop on which the chimney lies is a local high-point with a panoramic view.

Visitor Warning: Water/ground may still be contaminated with heavy metals in this area due to the practice of covering the top of the chimney with grass, etc., while smelting.Fact|date=February 2007

External links

* [http://www.kilternan.info/History/chimney.asp Ballycorus lead mine tower]
* [http://www.metalprocessors.ie/mci/index.htm The Mining Company of Ireland Ltd., short history of mining operations at Ballcorus]
* [http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/Neighbourhood/chapter6.html Description from "The Neighbourhood of Dublin" by Weston St. John Joyce (1920).]