Panning For Gold in Co. Tyrone, Ireland 1983

Prospecting for gold in the mountains of Tyrone.

Mike Murphy goes gold divining in the Sperrin Mountains. While gold prospecting has not been a thing in Ireland since the Wicklow gold rush two hundred years ago, there is a man near Cookstown in County Tyrone who still pans for gold. Jimmy Brennan is also a water diviner, a mineral diviner and a direction finder and he explains how it all works.

Mike Murphy has a go at water divining but doesn’t have the gift or the practice.

It’s a gift.

Jimmy Brennan gives a demonstration about how to set about divining for gold. Jimmy explains that everybody isn’t rushing out to get gold because people are not interested in the hard work required.

Nobody likes the hard work of panning for gold.

After panning in the river, they discover traces of gold and Mike asks where they will put the hotels and casinos when word gets out and they make their millions?

This episode of ‘The Live Mike’ was broadcast on 4 March 1983. The presenter is Mike Murphy.