gold finding

scamalert

Has anyone tried it in here to find gold,as i read in few articles,at one of the rivers in co.wicklow there was gold recovered and over couple of weeks there were many digging the place and according to different sources between 200kg were recovered,heres a piece of article:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It was this story that started the Wicklow Gold Rush, as it was called. It is thought that in the next two months about 2,500 ounces of gold was got from the stream by those seeking a fortune. (This would be about £10,000 at that time). Donaghoo (that was the teachers name) might never have told anyone had it not been for the fickle girl whom he had trusted (it might be a lesson for a lot of boyfriends).
Later two companies of Kildare Militia then took over the ground on government orders, to have the streams investigated by experts.

Then came the Rising of 1798 and the work was abandoned.

During their time there the experts only got about £3,500. Although some locals went on the hunt after the Rising they got some gold but nothing like what had been in the streams in the early days. In 1840 a company based in London took a lease of the district and commenced a search of the area. The man in charge of the search was an experienced miner from Cornwall and about 60 people, mostly girls were employed for a few years in the search. Although they did get gold during that time it just about covered their expenses and they ceased operations.

There is still the odd bit of gold found in the muck and sand in the Ballinavalley stream and other places, but far too little to encourage a serious search. There are those who say that once even a bit of gold, let it be the size of a pinhead, is coming down there had to be a 'mother load' somewhere in the mountains. Possibly well under ground, and that it will be found.

If that ever happens we can be sure that some lucky person will say that there is more than "Sunrise on the Wicklow Hills".

Anyway dont know how much truth there is in all these stories,but want to give it a shoot some weekend just to have a good time for the day and some fun getting hands dirty,as i read that panning is allowed in Ireland ,just everything belongs to the government if you find ,So can anyone give me clear directions to CROGHAN Mountain,because ,on internet theres almost 0 information about this mountain or how to locate it ,as i believe it was the mountain in which streams the dust of gold was found first.
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slowburner

Croghan Kinsella was investigated extensively after the gold rush of 1796. The investigators believed that the source of the gold in the tributaries had to be on the mountain.
No lode was ever found.
Between 1795 and 1879 the total value of extracted gold was between £28,855 and £36,185
By 1879, any commercial quantity of gold had been worked out and the mines were abandoned.

There is still a tiny amount of gold in the streams which run off the mountain - but it's hard, cold, wet work for not much reward, if any. And you really need to know what you are doing, and where to look.
Good luck with it, and let us know how you get on.

scamalert

thanks for reply,any advice how to get there,accurate map or pinpoint location would do,other then that yeah its cold,messy and muddy,but better then sitting weekend wasting on computer,as not looking for get rich scheme here just to find a hobby

slowburner

Here are the coordinates of the Goldmines river where it joins the Aughrim river at Woodenbridge.

52º, 49', 49" N
6º, 14', 08" W

Don't forget that you need the permission of the landowners before entering their lands.

scamalert

thanks.

scamalert

Is it legal to pan gold in ireland ? as i got two opinions and dont know which one is right,some say it is,some not and what about northern Ireland,as the law differs there?coz they also have few big spots for gold according to geological cd,but my main interest would be to find rivers where it would be shallow and no need for hassle with looking for land owners etc,if possible,
(i know some of these questions might be pain in the a$$ for some of your archeologists ) but just want to find a spot where i could spend weekends on good weather enjoying myself with family.Peace.

slowburner

Not 100% sure, but I think if you find gold it becomes the property of the state.
Google might help.

scamalert

yeah i know about giving away findings,but need to find something first

Goldbug

scamalert wrote: »

Has anyone tried it in here to find gold,as i read in few articles,at one of the rivers in co.wicklow there was gold recovered and over couple of weeks there were many digging the place and according to different sources between 200kg were recovered,heres a piece of article:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It was this story that started the Wicklow Gold Rush, as it was called. It is thought that in the next two months about 2,500 ounces of gold was got from the stream by those seeking a fortune. (This would be about £10,000 at that time). Donaghoo (that was the teachers name) might never have told anyone had it not been for the fickle girl whom he had trusted (it might be a lesson for a lot of boyfriends).
Later two companies of Kildare Militia then took over the ground on government orders, to have the streams investigated by experts.

Then came the Rising of 1798 and the work was abandoned.

During their time there the experts only got about £3,500. Although some locals went on the hunt after the Rising they got some gold but nothing like what had been in the streams in the early days. In 1840 a company based in London took a lease of the district and commenced a search of the area. The man in charge of the search was an experienced miner from Cornwall and about 60 people, mostly girls were employed for a few years in the search. Although they did get gold during that time it just about covered their expenses and they ceased operations.

There is still the odd bit of gold found in the muck and sand in the Ballinavalley stream and other places, but far too little to encourage a serious search. There are those who say that once even a bit of gold, let it be the size of a pinhead, is coming down there had to be a 'mother load' somewhere in the mountains. Possibly well under ground, and that it will be found.

If that ever happens we can be sure that some lucky person will say that there is more than "Sunrise on the Wicklow Hills".

Anyway dont know how much truth there is in all these stories,but want to give it a shoot some weekend just to have a good time for the day and some fun getting hands dirty,as i read that panning is allowed in Ireland ,just everything belongs to the government if you find ,So can anyone give me clear directions to CROGHAN Mountain,because ,on internet theres almost 0 information about this mountain or how to locate it ,as i believe it was the mountain in which streams the dust of gold was found first.
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So have u found your place yet. Been there. are u still interested in finding

Hawkeyes

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but does anyone of know anywhere that sells gold pan's and supplies? Preferably in Dublin or Wicklow.

I've tried google, but can't find anything.

Maudi

Hawkeyes wrote: »

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but does anyone of know anywhere that sells gold pan's and supplies? Preferably in Dublin or Wicklow.

I've tried google, but can't find anything.

id be interested in how you get on keep us informed..

slowburner

MOD NOTICE

Gold is an important, and somewhat enigmatic part of Irish history and prehistory.
Let's keep discussion on topics more suited to the forum.

I'm beginning to suspect that there may be some confusion between archaeology and geology here.

slowburner

It can be good to remind ourselves of our wonderful Irish treasures.

The definitive source for early Irish gold has yet to be identified.
One C.19th scholar writes:

Could we reasonably satisfy ourselves that, for a period of 2 or 3000 years since the time of Tigernmas*, a quantity of gold equal in annual value to that gleaned since 1775 was obtained, we might, in that case, by the addition of such quantities as war, piracy, and commerce had been accumulating, fully and satisfactorily account for the presence of all the gold now preserved and hitherto discovered. The produce of Wicklow alone, under this
supposition, would have been quite adequate.
By whom this supply had been manufactured, and from whom it received those peculiar characteristics of style and ornamentation which our ancient gold relics possess, has been a subject of diverse opinion amongst our antiquaries...

John Windele. Ulster Journal of Archaeology, First Series, Vol. 9 (1861/1862) pp. 197-222



More recently, Dr. Robert Chapman, senior lecturer in geochemistry at the University of Leeds, has carried out non-destructive geochemical analysis of early Irish gold.
The work uses the relative quantities of silver and copper present in the gold as markers.
As far as I remember, his research has discounted Wicklow as the primary source of early Irish gold.

Abstract here

Analyses here


* Tigernmas was an early High King of Ireland. According to the Book of Fenagh, he reigned for 100 years! The Annals of the four Masters give 1621 - 1544 BC, as his reign (a mere 77 years).
It was during his reign, that gold was first smelted in Ireland - according to these ephemeral sources.

Hawkeyes

slowburner wrote: »

MOD NOTICE

Gold is an important, and somewhat enigmatic part of Irish history and prehistory.
Let's keep discussion on topics more suited to the forum.

I'm beginning to suspect that there may be some confusion between archaeology and geology here.

My apologies for posting in the wrong forum, but as I found this thread through a search, I was not aware it was in the wrong place until after I had posted in it.

No confusion on my part. Perhaps the thread should be moved.

Wibbs

In fairness using a sluice is a little more specific than a few people having some fun panning in a stream. It's akin to the difference between fishing with a rod or a net. As for the paranoia about being found out. Our government has serious difficulty tracking down dole cheats, tax avoiders, uninsured drivers and any number of people. If they could read emails and texts... :rolleyes: Far more likely a landowner/fishing type/walker/passerby saw you with equipment and told someone.

On the other hand it's a bit bloody rich for the state to start getting twitchy over grammes. Though again I suspect the sluice was what got them riled. IIRC there are a couple of small clubs that go panning for the fun of it and don't get any hassle. Indeed there was a writeup about them in the Sunday Times a while back and the guys who'd been at this a while didn't have their faces pixelated for fear of "the elites"... Man I love the internet.

EDIT did I hear tell of a story about Daniel O'Connell who panned for gold in streams to find enough to make a wedding ring for his bride and it took him nearly a decade? Apparently this was quite the done thing romantically in them days. Would show you were in earnest anyway. Way more effort than a bunch of flowers and Milk Tray.

slowburner

Wibbs wrote: »

EDIT did I hear tell of a story about Daniel O'Connell who panned for gold in streams to find enough to make a wedding ring for his bride and it took him nearly a decade? Apparently this was quite the done thing romantically in them days. Would show you were in earnest anyway. Way more effort than a bunch of flowers and Milk Tray.

Indeed you did hear that story but it was Charles Stewart Parnell.
His largely unsuccessful mining operations (not just for gold) are one of the lesser known features in Avondale, the Parnell family house near Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow.

slowburner

Closing this thread. An interesting discussion on the enigma that it is Irish gold in antiquity could have taken place, but instead it has continued without any relevance to archaeology.