Arigna is a village near the namesake “plundering” Arigna River in the west of Ireland. This area in the far north of County Roscommon was associated with the coal mining industry for four centuries.
The coal was initially extracted to process the large quantities of iron ore present. The famous Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge is made of Arigna iron.
In 1958, the ESB, Ireland’s national electricity supplier, opened a power station designed and built to burn locally mined coal. The ESB quickly became Arigna’s biggest customer, with the station consuming a massive 55,000 tonnes of coal a year at its peak. However, with reserves of top-quality coal becoming depleted, the fate of the power station and the mining industry was sealed. Both closed in the early 1990s.
In ten years, the whole site became a tourist destination. The Arigna Mining Experience started in 2003, and it’s been a success since. The tour includes a visit to the mines, with many of the tour guides being former miners, which adds a special human touch and unique perspective to the visit. An element that many other former coal mines turned into museums is lacking.
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By: ONE Team
ONE is a nonprofit magazine founded in 2014, dedicated to providing unbiased and independent commentary and reporting on energy and environment issues. ONE policy pursues the following principles: accuracy, integrity and transparency.
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