Is this a whole hole or a half a hole, that is the question?

This shot from the Poole Collection is listed as being of a "Mr. Meardon and group of workers at the Bunmahon Copper Mines in Co. Waterford..I note that there are two picks and two shovels on display and the shovels were just taken out for the shot because if they had dug that whole or half hole those shiny points would be well worn away:-)..Thanks to ofarrl ( /photos/33577523@N08/ ) who states that this is more likely a Mr Riordan rather than Meardon, "I believe the name Meardon is incorrect and should be Riordan. I believe he was actually an American mining engineer named Dennis Matthew Riordan"..PS If I find out who entered "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in the tags for this photo, there will be trouble, Mary.. ..Photographer: A. H. Poole Poole Photographic Studio ( http://catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?lookfor=A.H.+Poole&type=Author&sort=title&view=grid ) , Waterford..Date: Circa 29 May 1906..Reference No. POOLEWP 1577 ( vtls000591803 ) ..You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie ( http://catalogue.nli.ie )