File:Old Sandstone Mine, Drumkeelan - geograph.org.uk - 1297664.jpg

English: Old Sandstone Mine: Drumkeelan This mine entrance is one of several in this square and the adjacent G8579 1297635

These mines were worked up until the 1950's and local historian Eamonn Monaghan has written 'The Ballad of the Drumkeelan Mines' which commemorates the miners:

   Deep underneath Drumkeelan, there in the freestone mines each day,
   With miners' lamps to light us, we work the hours away,
   We punch the holes along the line, in each we place a wedge,
   And when they're right & ready, we give each one the sledge,
   CHORUS
   So swing the hammers high and swing the hammers low,
   We must get these blocks out, today before we go,
   The stone cutters are all waiting, for these are busy times,
   In the Valley of Drumkeelan, where we're working in the Mines.

   The stone it is above us, the stone is all around,
   Our block is on the rollers, our crowbars on the ground,
   We lever it so slowly, along the smooth mine floor,
   And when we have it outside, sure we must go back for more,
   
   There's a big Cathedral rising in Letterkenny Town,
   They need stone for schools & halls, from here to Co. Down,
   For Halls in Derry City and Sligo banks as well,
   Sure, we cannot mine it fast enough, the truth to you I'll tell,
   
   Mulreany comes from Drumnalost, here to his work each day,
   The Brogans & the Harkins from Drumconnor make their way,
   The Hegartys & Harveys & the Bogles come along,
   With Wards from Drumagearah they make a jolly throng,
   
   They walk it every morning, from miles & miles around,
   To share their skills & ancient crafts and toil beneath the ground,
   Like the monks of good St Bernard in far off distant times,
   Who worked & prayed for God & Man within these very Mines,
   

In relation to the rights of workers, this picture was taken by Allan Kessing, truth teller, who is currently engaged in a legal battle with the Australian government; see http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200904/r356309_1639335.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/04/03/2534187.htm&usg=__x-K9IwdHhc-j1irPYjqhff1zDQI=&h=70&w=70&sz=5&hl=en&start=13&um=1&tbnid=9euDjeoT-S1kWM:&tbnh=68&tbnw=68&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dallan%2Bkessing%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3RNFA_enIE283IE283%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1