- Created: June 28, 2013 12:21 pm
- Updated: December 12, 2017 10:59 am
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The Valentia Island Slate Quarry was first opened in 1816 by the Knight of Kerry. The quality of the slate quarried has made this quarry world famous and used on many famous building worldwide. These include London’s Houses of Parliament, Paris Opera House and many snooker tables. The quarry was connected by rail to Knightstown in the late 1800's and onto another rail connection in Renard at the opposite side of the harbour.
- Knightstown is a unique Irish village. Knightstown layout and street system was designed by the very prolific Scottish engineer, Alexander Nimmo, who was commissioned by the Knight of Kerry in 1830 to prepare a layout plan for what was then referred to as the New Town of Valentia.
- Today a commerical quarry operates and exports provides slate for a number of uses including roof slates, gifts, counter tops, tables, headstone and many more.
- In 1910, a rock fall closed the quarry until the 1954 when statues of Our Lady & Bernadette where placed over 100 feet above the quarry entrance. The Grotto is now open to the public and mass is sometimes said here.
The Valentia Island Slate Quarry was first opened in 1816 by the Knight of Kerry. The quality of the slate quarried has made this quarry world famous and used on many famous building worldwide. These include London’s Houses of Parliament, Paris Opera House and many snooker tables. The quarry was connected by rail to Knightstown in the late 1800’s and onto another rail connection in Renard at the opposite side of the harbour.
– Knightstown is a unique Irish village. Knightstown layout and street system was designed by the very prolific Scottish engineer, Alexander Nimmo, who was commissioned by the Knight of Kerry in 1830 to prepare a layout plan for what was then referred to as the New Town of Valentia.
– Today a commerical quarry operates and exports provides slate for a number of uses including roof slates, gifts, counter tops, tables, headstone and many more.
– In 1910, a rock fall closed the quarry until the 1954 when statues of Our Lady & Bernadette where placed over 100 feet above the quarry entrance. The Grotto is now open to the public and mass is sometimes said here.
