Arigna Mining Experience

Few places in Ireland are more exotic than the reopened Derreenavoggy Mine in the Arigna Valley. Weaving your way through the beautiful scenery of the Leitrim and Roscommon countryside, you’ll see the building that reminds you of the slag heap, a hill made from the waste material from a mine. The Arigna Mining Experience Centre offers visitors insight into coal mining in the Arigna Valley from the beginning until its closure.

Exhibition space

Arigna is a village in the Arigna Mountains north of Co. Roscommon. It has long been associated with the mining industry, which is part of a larger heritage of providing energy to the Connacht region. The land surrounding Arigna was poorly suited for agriculture, and the mines generated full employment throughout the centuries. Those unable to work at the coalface helped carry the coal to the surface. Old miners were employed as handymen, repairing pit props, maintaining the hutches, etc. Such regular employment was unusual in rural Ireland. As a result, Arigna was fairly prosperous compared to other communities. For generations, the industry helped many families and communities through the horrors of the famine years.

Before the tour, explore the exhibition area, which features historical documents and photographs tracing 400 years of mining history. Early mining equipment such as picks, shovels, helmets, and lamps are also on display. Learn about the industry's impact on the local communities over the years. One of the highlights is the original control panel from the Lough Allen Power Station. You don't want to miss a short film recording original mining footage weeks before the mines' closure.

Descending into the depths of the earth through some of the narrowest coal seams in Europe, the Arigna mines offer a unique insight into over 300 years of coal production. An exhibition space explains geological systems and runs through a history of energy production. In 1958, an electricity supplier opened a nearby electricity generating station designed and built specifically to burn locally mined coal. The station quickly became Arigna’s biggest customer, consuming a massive 55,000 tonnes of coal a year at its peak. However, with reserves of top-quality coal becoming depleted, the power station and the mining industry shut down in 1990.

Preserving heritage

Although closures in 1990 marked the end of an era, the people recognised the opportunity to create something new and unique. Aiming to preserve their rich mining heritage and boost the local economy, they were determined to build a visitor attraction that would bring tourists from Ireland and abroad.

Driven by the people of Arigna and supported by several local and government agencies, including Roscommon County Council and the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, the Arigna Mining Experience was opened in April 2003. The total investment is over €2 million, with the local community raising €250,000. In completing this project, Arigna has created a unique visitor experience and ensured the preservation of a crucial part of history for future generations.

The visitor centre was extended in 2019 and now includes a café, gift shop and dedicated audio-visual area. The café enjoys impressive views of the surrounding area, while a neighbouring gift shop stocks a range of gifts from hoodies to torches. Since 2003, up to 400,000 people have enjoyed the Arigna Mining Experience, making this community-inspired initiative one of Roscommon's most popular local attractions. Following your visit to us here at Arigna Mining Experience, thereis much more to explore. Splendid castles, endless water trails—the delights around Lough Allen are yours to uncover.

Genuine tours

Mining in the Arigna Valley dates back to the 1600s when iron ore was found in the area. Some of it was used to make the Ha’penny Bridge and railway lines in Dublin. The mined coal was used locally to heat schools, hospitals and homes.

Have no fear—you won’t get lost! An ex-miner who knows their way around these mines will accompany you during the tour. Inside the mine, you’ll hear the water that keeps dripping, feel the inky darkness of the tunnel, and see the cramped areas where miners lay on their sides, chipping away at the rock for hours. It’s an experience that’ll leave a lasting impression. Remember to bring a warm jacket, as the temperature underground is always a cool 10˚. Everyone taking the underground tour must wear a hygiene cap and a helmet.

All tour guides at Arigna are ex-miners, which gives the tours complete authenticity. Living and working at the coalface allows each guide to recount their life stories of working underground, giving the visitor a lasting impression. Lighting and sound effects throughout the mine enhance the experience. As they lead you through the complex tunnels, the guides explain how coal is extracted. Learn how the introduction of machines made it easier to get to the coal but still left a lot to do by hand. The tour brings visitors to the mine's coalface, where the coal extracting methods will be demonstrated. Ex-miners will share some mining techniques, safety measures, and the best strategies for fighting rock monsters.

A well-versed tour guide leads the 45-minute expedition deep into the old seams. The underground tour provides visitors with the impression of what it was like to work in some of the narrowest coal seams in the Western world. The original ‘straight road’, or main tunnel, was only 120cm high and wide enough to take two trolleys. The miners had to stoop or crawl up to 3km to the coalface at the start of the working day and back again at the end. The straight road has been widened and heightened for tours, but it is still a forbidding place.

Discover Arigna in a picturesque valley in north Roscommon with breathtaking scenery and an unspoilt landscape. The Arigna Mining Experience is the country's first coal mining museum recording Ireland's history of coal mines. Experience what it was like on a guided tour underground with a former coal miner who brings the history of the coal mine and previous iron mines to life.