BBC “SCENE AROUND SIX”
Television news of the closing of the Derry Pit, the last coal mine in Northern Ireland. This was the first local report filmed in colour and featured on BBC Northern Ireland news.
Useful links.
THERE’S STILL COAL IN COALISLAND
RTE Radio documentary. Proinsias O’Conluain examines the past, present and future of the East Tyrone coalfields – He also takes a look at the early history of coal mining in Tyrone and the Drumglass miners from the 1700’s (Broadcast 1970).
SPADE MILL, CULTRA
A working spade mill from nearby Coalisland was dismantled and taken to the NMNI, Ulster Folk Museum in 1960. This vintage film shows the re-assembled mill at work in Cultra back in 1966. See also Coalisland Spade Mill.
For more about spade mills, visit our page about the excavation at Newmills in June 2020.
STORIES IN SOUND: CRYSTAL, CLAY AND CLOTH – THE ARTISANS OF EAST TYRONE
Listen to this brilliant radio documentary with interviews from local people who worked in the factories, mines and potteries.
BBC Radio Ulster
IRISH HISTORICAL GEOLOGICAL MAPS – MINE ABANDONMENT PLANS
Find out where to find old mine shafts under East Tyrone.
SAMMY McKAY 1943 BALLYNAKELLY DISASTER
Coalisland historian Sammy McKay tells the tragic story of the explosion at Ballynakelly Clay Pit in May 1943. This video was first broadcast on the Craic Theatre YouTube channel in 2015 and permission has kindly been granted to edit the original and reproduce it here.
SAMMY MCKAY COALISLAND WEAVING FACTORY
Coalisland historian Sammy McKay gives a fascinating tour of the old Engine Room at Coalisland Weaving Factory Museum. This video was first broadcast on the Craic Theatre YouTube channel in 2015 and permission has kindly been granted to edit the original and reproduce it here.