Tankardstown NGR X 450 985 A little to the east of the Knockmahon copper lode, the Tankardstown lode was worked in 1850. The workings stretch from ½ a mile inland to 250 yards from the shore, beneath the sea. At a depth of 100 fathoms the lode had a productive width of 40 to 60 feet. Rowe’s lode appears in the cliff at the distance of 60 yards to the west of Tankardstown lode. At one point it was 70 feet in width, decreasing, however, rapidly to 4 feet. Boneyaught lode, which succeeds Rowe’s has been traced along a line of fault in a northerly direction. Sixty yards from Boneyaught lode is the Kilduane lode, which was worked in 1872. It has been followed inland for about a mile. A hundred yards to the west of this lode is the Seven Dials lode, and a further 350 yards on is the Old Stage lode. A shaft just north of here was sunk to a depth of 212 fathoms, but whilst driving on the lode under the sea, several run-ins took place and at a distance of 350 yards from the coast the sea broke in. In 1840 Michael Walsh of Bonmahon had a lucky escape from death when he was rescued after being trapped for three days in a roof fall. For most of this time he was pinned by rocks with his knees touching his chin and the sea water almost up to his mouth. It was some time before he regained his strength but he never worked underground again [Henwood pp 600-601]. Today [March 1999] the remains of the 50 inch pumping house dominate the sky-line and are well worth a visit before they disappear completely as they are in a poor state of repair. There are numerous open shafts along the coast, some fenced off, but others which have re-opened quite recently present a very real hazard to the unwary walker. At Annestown, 2½ miles east of Dunahratten Bay lead was found by the MCI in 1837-38.
References:
Cole 1922 p 42 - 32;
Critchley, Martin, 2002 A Survey of Tankardstown Mine, Bunmahon, Co Waterford. Jl MHTI (2) pp 25-28 illus, survey.
MHSI (2) p 6; (3) p 6 unveiling of a plaque dedicated to the Knockmahon miners, (9) pp 7, 8.
Wilson, Ike [2002] Beneath Your Feet / Tankardstown Mine. 32 pp illus.

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The engine house and other buildings have been partially restored and made safe, there are info boards etc around the place.I also did a survey on t.town and was one of the founders of the now Geopark, starting with a small museum in the village. a lot has been achieved by all concerned in the project. the decorations in the mine are stunning, access is by permission and always accompanied to protect the decorations especially the "Blue Waterfall" (named by Ike Wilson who brought it to the attention of Dez Cowman, historian and writer).there is a lot more I can tell ....later !!!! :thumbsup:

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one of the shafts that opened up used to have an old wooden ladder attached to the walls of the shaft, very nice too it was, but the collapse brought down the ladder and a lot of rubbish which in turn smashed the first landing of the ladder, when the water in the shaft was quiet you could see several landings through the water...not anymore..I will be going down the shaft this year to check if there are any levels off it, there are water filled shafts in the mine one (nr the entrance $$£"!!!) has fresh water raising up from it !!!! must be a perched water table. we will see. If you go on to Copper coast Eire you will find current info on the mine buildings. :thumbsup:

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