The Irish standard., 1892-04-23
SATURDAY, APRIL q, 1892.
COAL FIELDS OF IRELAND.

COAL FIELDS OF IRELAND.
Any of our readers who have taken
sufficient interest in the material pros
perity of Ireland need not be told that
the mineral resources of Ireland are
varied and numerous, and that an almost
inexhaustible supply of coal for heating
and manufacturing purposes is lying dor
mant beneath the soil, Notwithstanding
the fact that two million tons of coal are
annually imported into the island from
the English collieries. The two great
mechanical powers-fre and water-are
found in abundance in Ireland, kind ma
ture having bountifully endowed it with
both, but the perGaious and tyrennous
government of Britain has, for selfish
purposes, kept the natural resources of
Ireland from being developed. The re-
cent strike of the English coal miners
has made coa4 scarce and dear COM
modify in England, and the "sister island
is hardly able to furnish Ireland with a
sufficient supply for consumption. This
fact has forced attention to Ireland's
ability to supply her own needs and OK
port great surplus to other countries,
il only her coal fields are properly de-
veloped. A correspondent Of the Lon
don "Colliery Guardian" writing from
Ireland,i has this to say to his English
readers: s"Ihe present is fitting oppor-
tunity to bring under notice the splendid
coal fields now lying dormant in Ireland.
It cannot be denied that we have coalfelds
in various parts of ourcountry, but lack of
money TO work them. Indeed, we should
be in g position not only to supply local
wants, but likewise to export coal on q
large scale. The Kilkenny coal mines
are not worked Oh systematic principle.
Again, we have iron and coal mines be-
tween Clonnel and Dungarvan, not one
OF which has been explored. Let couple
of hundred Of pounds be expended on
the testing of those ridges between Clon-
mel and hungarian, and Ireland will
have an abundance of coal-and to spare. -
It is folly to expect the British govern
ment to expend a penny on anything
Irish that comes in competition with
English products, but as soon as an Irish
parliament convenes in Dublin we may
expect an Irish government, administered
by Irishmen racy of the soil, to foster
and develop the coal industry. In his
work on the mineral resources of Ireland,
Sir Robert Kane has proved that coal ex-
lists in large quantities in several parts of
the Island It is found to the west of
Tough Allen, in Connaught, and around
Dungannoo, in Tyrone, and also in An
trim. The coal fields of Kilkenny, be-
tween the Barrow and the More, are ex-
ceedingly rich, and coal beds are found
in Waterford. Glare, Limerick, Cork and
Kerry. The richest iron deposits are
found in the vicinity of Arigna, with coal
to slnelt it, lime to aux it, and sandstone
and freclay to make furnaces on the spot.
The Arigna district is the Mesaba range
of Ireland, minus the boom. Coal and
iron have given England her commercial
ascendancy as nation, and she has man
aged by tyrannical legislation to keep
Ireland from being her competitor in the
iron and coal industries. When Ireland
assumes control of her own national af-
fairs the mines will be opened and Dean
5Swift's admonition will be followed:
sts'Burn every thing that comes from Epg,
land except it's GOALS" God speed the
day when Ireland's industries are revived
4 Nv native parliament in College Green