Dunmore Cave is an underground limestone cave situated in the north of Kilkenny. It is one of the most famous caves in Ireland, and although it is small, it is steeped in history.
The cave was known in the Irish annals as 'Dearc Fearna' meaning 'the cave of the alders'. It was once thought to be one of the darkest places in Ireland.
The inside of the cave is murky and wet, with shimmering stalactites and stalagmites protruding from the floor and ceiling.
History
Like most other caves across the country, Dunmore Cave was formed by limestone which was laid over 300 million years ago. It contains almost a quarter of a mile of passages and at its deepest point is 150 foot below the surface.
Its presence has been known for years but it is only recently that attempts have been made to unravel its history. In AD 928, the Dunmore Cave was the site of a Viking massacre. Mention of the cave was made in the ninth century Irish Triads.
Folklore
The local people have given names to parts of Dunmore Cave. The entrance to the first cavern is called the 'fairies' floor'. The folklore has it that if you throw stones on this floor, the fairies will sweep them up so that they can sleep there.
Dunmore Cave
A photo of Dunmore Cave, Co. Kilkenny. This shows the gigantic dripstone pillar called the 'Market Cross'.
Courtesy of Kilkenny County Library.Dunmore Cave
Courtesy of Kilkenny County Library.
Courtesy of Kilkenny County Library.
Dunmore Cave
A photo of Dunmore Cave, Co. Kilkenny. This shows the gigantic dripstone pillar called the 'Market Cross'.
Courtesy of Kilkenny County Library.The passage to the left of the cave is called the 'well of bones', as visitors to the cave in the 1800s would scoop out small animal and human bones from the stream.
Further on down the passage is an area called the 'rabbit burrow'. The floor was covered in sand and it was believed that rabbits burrowed there. The main attraction in the cave is the enormous dripstone called the 'market cross', which has a cross-like shape.
Dunmore Today
Since 1940, when the cave became the property of the State, it has been a National Monument because of its historic interest. Today, stairs, walkways and an extensive lighting system have been installed to help access and viewing.
There isn't much plant and animal life in and around the cave largely due to the lack of sunlight. The cave did at one time house a bat colony and bat skeletons can be seen lodged in the calcite limestone.