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St. Patrick's Mine Avoca 1956-62

Photographic Collection of Ross Corey

By Kathleen Corey Hamilton

Ross & Alice Corey

This collection of slides and photographs were taken by Ross Corey between 1956 and 1962 while he worked at the St. Patrick's Mine, Avoca. He started out as the Metallurgical Manager in charge of the building of the concentrator; including documentation. He then moved on to Mill Manager. The slides and photos in this collection include not only the mine, residences, and surrounding area, but also social events.

Ross and his wife Alice moved from Canada to Ireland in 1956. They loved Ireland, travelling extensively throughout the south and into western Europe. While in Ireland they adopted a son, Neil in 1962. That same year they returned to Canada where they adopted a daughter, Kathleen in 1963, and another son Christopher in 1968. Alice, Neil and Christopher were killed in a tragic car accident in 1971. Ross passed away in 2001.

This collection has been donated by Ross' daughter, Kathleen Corey Hamilton who lives in Canada with her husband. They have three adult children who have the family passion for adventure.

I (Kathleen) am very pleased to donate this collection to a country that held such a special place in my parent's hearts. My husband and I traveled to Ireland for our first time in 2016 to visit out daughter. We quickly fell in love with the landscape and the charm that Ireland has to offer. I am looking forward to returning in 2017 to deliver this collection in person and learn more.

Photo:A pipe possibly supplying water to the copper mine

Photo:A woman overlooks part of the mining site

Photo:Much of the mines construction was done by hand

Photo:A worker collects mining lamps and monitors the worker's locations within the mines

Photo:A nurse within the mining village's doctor's surgery

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'St. Patrick's Mine Avoca 1956-62' page

Photo:Miners at work in the Avoca Copper mine

Photo:Ships ready to collect copper ore for processing

Photo:Copper ore being moved onto ship for transport

Photo:One of seven engine houses being built for the copper mine

Photo:A day trip to Glendalough from 1958

Photo:Visiting Glendalough's Upper Lake 1959

Photo:Arklow Port where ships were filled with Avoca's copper ore (1956)

Photo:The managers houses from 1956, off the Red Road in Avoca, one of these houses was lived in by a woman named Esther Kenny.

This gallery was added by Abbie Wilkinson on 22/06/2017.

Comments about this page

I am originally from Avoca, but have lived in Australia for 45 years. The picture of the managers houses brought back fond memories, I was only a youngster back then. My mother's house is the one with the tiled roof. I would appreciate if you could pass on a contact for Kathleen as I would like to share some stories of that time. Thank You.

By Richard Kenny
On 18/07/2017

Often when I come to look at the Avoca mines Community page, I am pleasantly surprised to see something new and learn something new that I wasn’t aware of before. This time when I viewed the1956 to 1962 photographic collection of Ross Corey/ St. Patrick’s Copper mine Avoca, I was intrigued by one photograph in particular, with a woman standing on what appears to be a Dam on an earlier tailings Dam at Shelton with the wood on one said. I could remember the New CAT 950 Loader in 1972, and I could remember Hughie Mc Carthy loading the dumpers, but I was wondering how I could remember him loading the mines tailings so early on, and this photo offers the explanation as to how it was possible, and while Steve young had mentioned St Patricks Mine had installed tailings pipes, I didn’t think they could ever have gone as far as Shelton, and I just assumed they used places like the old tailings pond where we built the workshop in Avoca. I could also remember very clearly working over by the wood at different stages, Austin Fanning

By Austin Fanning
On 09/08/2017

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