Tankardstown Mine, Co. Waterford

The area around this part of Waterford is known as the Copper Coast due to the abundance of naturally occurring minerals. Tankardstown mine was constructed in 1841 by the Mining Company of Ireland and at its peak mining employed 1100 people in the area.

The mines were productive and profitable for many years, with high copper content, so that the Bunmahon ore fetched good prices in Swansea. Eventually the veins were mined out, costs rose and income fell, until the mines went into deficit and closed down.

Project Team:
Client: Office of Public Works
Conservation Consultants: Copper Coast Geoparks Ltd.
Main Contractor: Cornerstone Construction

The area which Cornerstone worked on consisted of the two main engine houses and surrounding out buildings. These engine houses were the central processing hub and provided power to the mines.
The overall objective of this project was to make good the structural damage to the buildings caused by a century of dereliction and exposure to the harsh elements of its coastal location. The projects aim was to ensure the survival of these historical landmarks for the future.

The work involved making good existing stonework and repointing all masonry as required. Many of the partially collapsed wall sections in both engine houses were either rebuilt or supported.