Irish Geological Association

IGA AGM 2023 & Rock Roadshow - RESCHEDULED Thursday 20th April Rock Exhibition open from 5:30pm AGM @ 6pm
2023-04-20 17:30 - 19:30 (Europe/Dublin)
In-Person!Pearse Street LibraryPearse StreetDublin 2(AGM from 6pm via Zoom also)

Please join us and experience our wonderful Rock Roadshow! We’ve toured this around to a few libraries and will continue to do so this year. Frank Clissmann and Bill Sheppard along with some of our other members, have provided the rock collections for us to display at these and you’d be very welcome to join us at any future events.

Feel free to bring your own unidentified rocks along on the night and we’ll hopefully be able to tell you something about them!

Along with a chance to peruse and discuss the collection, we’ll also be holding our AGM and there will be some light refreshments.

You can register to attend the AGM using the Google form HEREOr by email to info@geology.ie HERE.

IGA Lecture : "From Ordovician Oceans to Holocene Houses: Three Geological Stories from a Data Manager's Perspective" by Dr Una Farrell (Trinity College Dublin)
2023-03-28 19:00 - 20:00
Abstract:

There is a global push to make scientific data open and accessible. Here, I talk about three projects which differ greatly in terms of scope and aims, but which have some common ground in terms of data sharing and structure. First is the ‘Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project’ (SGP) – a large collaborative research consortium, which aims to answer questions about deep-time environmental change. Second is ‘Stonebuilt Ireland’, a project which links Irish heritage sites with building stones and quarries. Third is a new project to digitize the TCD Geological Museum collections and make those records available through local and global data portals. In each case, I will outline project goals and highlights so far, and briefly review the data-wrangling going on behind the scenes.

Biography:

Una Farrell

Una did a BA in Geology at TCD and a PhD at Yale University, working in upstate New York onexceptionally preserved trilobites. She was Collection Manager of Invertebrate Palaeontology at theBiodiversity Institute in Kansas for four years, followed by two years as a lab/data manager atStanford University in California, where she worked with Dr. Erik Sperling to set up the database forthe ‘Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project (SGP)’. She is currently back at TCDas a research fellow. She teaches palaeontology, works at the TCD Geological Museum and on thedatabase for ‘Stonebuilt Ireland’, which is a project led by Dr. Patrick Wyse Jackson and Dr. LouiseCaulfield in collaboration with the Office of Public Works and Geological Survey Ireland. Una alsocontinues to work remotely for the SGP project.

Date and Time: Tuesday, 28 March 2023, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.

To Register: send an e-mail to info@geology.ie

A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

IGA Lecture - TUESDAY 28th February: Dr Stimpson on "Nineteenth century fossil collections from the foothills of the Himalaya and the National Museum of Ireland"
2023-02-28 19:00 - 20:00
Abstract

The main aim of this talk is to provide an accessible introduction and a brief history of the collection of Plio-Pleistocene fossils from the foothills of the Himalaya, also known as the ‘Siwaliks’ or ‘Siwalik Hills’. It will first consider the context and the practices of collection during the 19th century before a concise survey of some of the remarkable fauna that the fossils have revealed. Special attention will be given to specimens from the collections held by the National Museum of Ireland highlighting their particular significance. The talk will then conclude with a discussion of priorities and challenges for future research on the fossils of the Siwaliks.

Biography

Dr Chris Stimpson

Dr Chris Stimpson trained as a zoologist before specialising in the recovery and analysis of archaeological and palaeontological animal bone assemblages. His PhD research (University of Cambridge) focused on large assemblages of bird and bat bones recovered from the Great Cave of Niah in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. He has since held postdoctoral appointments at the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and Queen’s University Belfast.

A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Honorary Associate of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Chris has worked widely in Europe, Southeast Asia, North Africa and the Middle East and has extensive fieldwork experience in varied environments including caves, sand deserts and rainforests. He is currently involved is research projects in Vietnam, Egypt and Ireland and is reviewing 19th century collections of fossils from the foothills of the Himalaya in museums in the UK and Ireland.

When: TUESDAY (!) 28th February at 7.00pm

Where: online via Zoom.

Registration: Please register here (in case of problem with the online form, please email info@geology.ie). All welcome!

Joint Geological Associations lecture (CGA/IGA/GGA): Prof. Phil Gibbard - The Anthropocene: to be or not to be, the controversy explained! - 25 January 2023, 7.30pm.
2023-01-25 19:30 - 20:30
Annual Joint Geological Association Lecture: Prof. Phil Gibbard, University of Cambridge, and Secretary General of the International Commission on Stratigraphy will talk on “The Anthropocene: to be or not to be, the controversy explained!” (Virtual, via Zoom). At 7.30pm.

Abstract

Proposals to define formally a new geological time division, termed ‘Anthropocene’ have been advocated for over a decade. A case has also been made for its consideration as a formal series/epoch, equivalent in status to Holocene and Pleistocene. To merit formal designation, such an event would need to have a global signature consistently distinct from that of the Holocene, and be marked by novel biotic, sedimentary and geochemical change. Whilst there is no disputing the clear evidence in recent geological records of increasing anthropogenic impacts on the natural environment, it is debated whether the stratigraphic signature of these trends is sufficiently distinct, consistent and adequately dated globally, for the proposal for a Holocene/Anthropocene boundary to be substantiated on stratigraphic grounds. The current question is whether it is indeed possible to identify a specific point when demonstrably human modification of the environment has been occurring for many thousands of years in some places, whilst elsewhere it began relatively recently. This discussion has led some workers to conclude that any time-fixed boundary would potentially exclude the long, pre-20th century interval of human activity.

Biography

Prof. Phil Gibbard

Phil Gibbard graduated with a degree in Geology in 1971 from the University of Sheffield. He went on to complete a Ph.D in Quaternary studies with the highly-respected R.G. West at the University of Cambridge. From there he built his career as a lecturer and international researcher, with a particular interest in fostering a systematic stratigraphic approach to the complex of Quaternary deposits. He has played a key role, for many years, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy, and is the recipient of many awards. He is currently a member of the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, and Secretary General of the International Commission on Stratigraphy.

When: Wednesday 25 January at 7.30pm

Where: online via Zoom.

Registration: Please register here (in case of problem with the online form, please email info@geology.ie). All welcome!

IGA Members' Night - 10th December 2022
2022-12-10 18:00 - 23:30 | The Beer Temple (aka The Oak), 1 Parliament St, Temple Bar, Dublin, Dublin, D02 AN28, Ireland
IGA Member’s Night

Geology Table Quiz

Hosted By Quiz Master Frank(Frank Clissman, IGA Council Memberand Walking Geological Encyclopedia)

Saturday 10th December 2022 @ 6pmLocation: Downstairs @ The Beer Temple (aka The Oak)1 Parliament St, Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 AN28

REGISTER HERE You can also email info@geology.ie to register (NB: You can register as an individual and request to be assigned to a team you can register your whole team)Questions will be mainly geology based and there will be 8 rounds. Doors will open at 6pm and we hope to begin the quiz at 7pm sharp! There will be some refreshments available on the night. We are allowing members to bring along non-members to this event, (as long as there’s at least 1 IGA member per team!) So if you have any geology buffs you’d like to bring along, you’re welcome to add them to your team.

Please register in advance so we have a good idea of numbers! Looking forward to seeing you there!

IGA Lecture - 9th November - "Ireland Before the Dinosaurs: A Plant Story" - Carla Harper (TCD)
2022-11-09 19:00 - 20:00
Abstract: During the late Devonian, about 360 million years ago, Ireland was a tropical paradise. On land, the plants ruled the continents, accompanied by micro-organisms and early relatives of the spiders, millipedes, and centipedes. This talk will focus on two aspects of the late Devonian in Ireland: 1) the different types of (micro)organisms that lived during that time and how they interacted with the world around them; 2) the spectacular, and world famous, Devonian–Carboniferous plant fossils from Kiltorcan (Co. Kilkenny). Overall, Ireland’s rich plant fossil history plays a key role in answering exciting research questions, but raises many more. Studying these fossil plants and their dynamics in past environments provides a powerful insight into both the current and future ecosystems of Ireland, and the world.

Biography

Carla Harper is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science who joined the Trinity College Dublin Botany Department in March 2020. She lectures on the evolution of fossil plants and fungi, palaeontology, mycology, and plant–fungus interactions. Her research areas include palaeomycology, palaeobotany, and modern (living) fungal biodiversity. Fieldwork has taken Carla around the world from the US to Ireland to Antarctica. She is an authority on the study of fossil fungi and interactions between fossil plants and fungi. One of her current, long-term research projects is to study the Palaeozoic fossil floras of Ireland. Life outside of research includes hunting for mushrooms with her husband, caring for two black cats, scientific illustration, and growing Irish carnivorous plants on her balcony bogs in Dublin’s city centre.

Date and Time: Wednesday, 09 November 2022, between 19:00 and 20:00 via Zoom.

Registration: please register here (in case of problem, please send an e-mail to info@geology.ie)

IGA Lecture - 12th October, 7pm - “Lost Songs: Reconstructing Insect Stridulation Sounds from the Middle Jurassic” by Charlie Woodrow, University of Lincoln, UK
2022-10-12 19:00 - 20:00
Irish Geological Association Lecture

“Lost Songs: Reconstructing Insect Stridulation Sounds from the Middle Jurassic”

By Charlie Woodrow (University of Lincoln, UK)

Abstract: This talk aims to demonstrate how it is possible to reconstruct the sounds made by extinct Jurassic Period bush-crickets and their relatives. Ordinarily, the ecology and behaviour of an organism’s life history do not fossilize: thus, this can only be studied by combining our knowledge of extant species with unique fossil data to infer potential ecological interactions. This is particularly challenging for investigations of acoustic ecology, because sound production organs are rarely fossilized and often not well enough understood to infer acoustic signals from geometry alone. Here, I show how it is possible to reconstruct the sounds made by extinct ensiferan insects (Orthoptera) from a model that starts with a 150-year-old museum specimen and ends with an application to a 165-million-year-old fossil relative.

Biography

Charlie Woodrow

Charlie is a third-year PhD student at the University of Lincoln (UK) studying the evolution of bush-cricket acoustic communication. His project covers a range of topics, including comparative morphometrics of insect ears, the mechanics of sound production, the biophysics of hearing, and insect behaviour. Through collaborations and grants, Charlie has started to apply his knowledge of insects and acoustics to palaeontology, with ongoing projects on directional hearing in theropods, biophysical measurements of hearing in fossil orthopterans, and reconstructing the sounds of extinct insects.

Date and Time: Wednesday, 12 October 2022, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.

To Register: register for this lecture here (in case of issue, please send an e-mail to info@geology.ie)

A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Field trip - 24 September 2022: Peter Lewis Memorial Goldpanning Excursion with Gordon Poole (FGS).
2022-09-24 11:00 - 15:00 | Bohernabreena, Co. Dublin, Ireland, Bohernabreena Reservoir, Dublin
Gold Panning in a scenic spot!

Join us for a most enjoyable training event, gold panning with geologist, Gordon Poole (FGS). This excursion is an Annual Meeting in memory of Past President of IGA, Peter Lewis for whom gold panning was a favourite hobby. The outing this year will take place at Bohernabreena, Co. Dublin.

IGA is most grateful to the Geological Survey of Ireland, and Senior Geologist James Hodgson in particular, for the loan of pans and sieves for this event where you can learn a skill and find a nugget (though we have only had shows of gold so far but several of them per outing!). No need to bring your own kit, but a pair of wellies and gloves are advised.

Please Book HERE for this memorable event!

IGA Lecture - 14 September 2022, 7pm: "Sir Arthur Russell and His Mineral Collection" by Roy Starkey (Scientific Associate, Natural History Museum, London)
2022-09-14 19:00 - 20:00
Abstract:

Fig.350 DSC_7635 BM.1964,R9273 Beryl with qtz and mica on granite, Slievenaglogh (Diamond Rocks), Sir Maziere Brady, 110x75x35mm

To the mineralogist and mineral collector Sir Arthur Russell needs little introduction. The honorific ‘Sir’ is not a knighthood for public service but the result of him becoming the 6th Baronet Russell of Swallowfield in Berkshire, a hereditary title created for his great-grandfather Sir Henry Russell (1751–1836). One might be forgiven for imagining that his family background would have bestowed upon him a comfortable lifestyle, but the reality was rather different. He was by nature a frugal person with the common touch, equally at home with miners and quarrymen as he was with the mine owners and landowners that paid their wages. This talk, which draws upon more than four years’ research for a recently published book, will provide an overview of Arthur’s family background, his contributions to the study of British mineralogy and the wonderful specimens contained within his collection.

Arthur was undoubtedly drawn to the beauty and wonder of natural objects. He collected minerals himself, acquired specimens from miners and made a remarkably thorough job of tracing and purchasing old collections. As a consequence, through his wonderful collection of minerals, we can travel back in time to places that are no longer accessible, and via the associated historical connections with earlier collectors, gain a sense of the value attributed to crystals and mineral specimens 250 years ago.

Largely self-taught, and with no formal scientific qualifications, he rose to become President of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland and was awarded several prestigious medals for his work in mineralogy. He rubbed shoulders and forged relationships with many famous mineralogists, and was a valued consultant to the mineral industries.

The story of how his collection came to be at the Natural History Museum in London is a tortuous one.

Minerals were his life and the talk will celebrate the diversity of colour and form, of chemistry and structure, and the rich geological and mining heritage of these small islands that Sir Arthur was proud to call his home.

Biography

Roy Starkey

Roy Starkey became interested in minerals at an early age, but growing up in the South of England (Cretaceous chalk) provided few opportunities to go field collecting. Later he was able to direct family holidays to areas of potential mineral interest – North Wales, the Lake District and Scotland. His brother and parents would all join in the hunt and pile up likely specimens for Roy to vet. At secondary school he was fascinated by anything to do with science (especially chemistry) and was an avid follower of the Apollo space missions. He went on to study geology at the University of Sheffield and subsequently followed a career in manufacturing industry in various operations and production management roles.

Roy has been an active member of The Russell Society (https://russellsoc.org/), the leading organisation for topographical mineralogy in the UK, for more than forty years, serving as Journal Manager, Vice-President, President and most recently General Secretary.

In 1981 he founded the British Micromount Society https://bms.mineralcollective.com/ and is the Society’s Honorary Life President. He was inducted into the Micromounters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of his support for the micromounting hobby.

Roy enjoys researching and writing about mineralogy every bit as much as getting out and field collecting. He has published widely on British topographical mineralogy, including papers in the Mineralogical Magazine, Scottish Journal of Geology, Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society, Journal of the Russell Society, and the Mineralogical Record.

More recently, Roy has self-published three books (see https://britishmineralogy.com/wordpress/ ): 1) Crystal Mountains – Minerals of the Cairngorms, 2) Minerals of the English Midlands and, most recently 3) Making it Mine – Sir Arthur Russell and his Mineral Collection. He is keen to share his experiences and to encourage other members of the mineral collector community to consider writing up their favourite areas or subjects, but sounds a note of caution – “You don’t do this to make money!” If all goes well, it should be possible to recoup the cost of producing the book.

In 2017, Roy was winner of the first Marsh Award for Mineralogy, in recognition of his huge contribution to the field of mineralogy https://naturalhistorymuseum.blog/2017/02/21/roy-starkey-wins-first-marsh-award-for-mineralogy/ and is currently a Scientific Associate at the Natural History Museum, London.

Date and Time: Wednesday, 14 September 2022, between 19:00 and 20:00 via Zoom.To Register: please complete the registration form here (in case of issue, send an e-mail to info@geology.ie).A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered

Field Trip - 10 September 2022: Fellow Emeritus Pete Coxon's Legendary Tour of Wicklow (IQUA Fieldguide: Wicklow in the Grip of an Ice Age).
2022-09-10 08:30 - 17:30 | Nassau Street, Nassau Street, Dublin, Ireland
Alaska today as an analogue for Wicklow in the last Ice AgeImage Credit: IQUA

Pete Coxon in full flow. Image Credit: University of Liverpool

Come, join us as we visit the Quaternary highlights of Wicklow with our exuberant Bus Tour Leader, Fellow Emeritus Peter Coxon (TCD). There will be a tour bus fee for the day, but it is a unique event that is thoroughly enjoyable, erudite and not to be missed. Booking is now open HERE

There is a maximum of 20 participants only on this excursion. Booking is on a first come, first served basis. Duration of this excursion is 9 hours.

Our circuit from Dublin City Centre will include a great number of natural science highlights around the Wicklow Mountains National Park, Glencree, the beautiful Glenealo Valley, Hollywood Glen and Blessington Lakes. Pete Coxon is a world leader in Quaternary research and teaching and he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this meeting. Pete has recently retired from teaching so it makes this excursion all the more precious. Our thanks to the Irish Quaternary Association (IQUA) for supporting this event. Many thanks also to our bus company for the day, Blueline Bus, Dublin.

Weekend excursion, 27-28 August: Ancient Volcanoes of Wexford with Margaret Franklin (IGA) and Maria Cullen (IGA).
2022-08-27 10:00 - 2022-08-28 17:00 | Duncannon, Duncannon, Co. Wexford, Ireland
Credit: Maria Cullen

Credit: Mary Clarke

Credit: Howard Fox

Booking now open HERE

Join the IGA on a journey to examine the evidence for volcanic activity in the Palaeozoic Age with Margaret Franklin (Retired Lecturer in Chemistry) and Maria Cullen (Geobiologist).

We will begin with a tour of Duncannon Fort, an exceptional bastion, or star-shaped fort of great historic significance. (There is a small charge of €5 per person for this tour.) The rocks that constitute the fort are from the local area and feature much evidence of volcanic rock here. In geology, the first place where a distinctive package of rock was seen and described is the name used when that rock type is mentioned, so the Duncannon Group mainly of Caradoc, Ordovician age (458-448 Ma) is described from this area.

https://duncannonfort.ie/

Next, we will examine the Campile Formation, at the quaint village of Campile. On we will go to Slieve Coillte (by the JFK Arboretum), itself a remnant volcano. If there is a view, we will be able to see many volcanic centres in the region.

Carrigbyrne Hill and Browne-Clayton Monument are next, both are volcanic in origin with felsite to be seen in walls and bedrock. Onward to Enniscorthy where we will see Holohan’s Bar where the building has bedrock on show in the back of the bar. Then there will be a meal together in Enniscorthy.

Day Two will begin with a visit to Vinegar Hill. After this, we will continue to the east and Ferrycarrig Castle (a pity to visit Wexford and not take in a castle!) before proceeding north to another ancient volcano, Tara Hill. After this we will finish the meeting at the beautiful Ballymoney Beach where there is excellent outcrop of the strata to recap the learnings of the weekend before an optional swim and homeward.

For those staying two nights in Enniscorthy, there is the possibility to car pool to minimise driving and numbers of cars.

Possible Places to stay (limited availability):

In the Enniscorthy Area – Riverside Park Hotel, Treacy’s Hotel, Blackstoops Lodge, Lemongrove House, Wilton Castle, Airbnb, Sykes Cottages

In the Duncannon Area (Friday night only) – Fort Conan Hotel

In the New Ross Area – Brandon House Hotel

In the Gorey Area – Ashdown Park, Seafield Hotel

Public Transport to Enniscorthy by train and by bus is available. Please check Irishrail.ie and Buseireann.ie

Weekend excursion - 29-31 July 2022: Geology of Valentia Island, the Iveragh Peninsula with Dr. Aidan Forde (Valentia Slate) & Gosia Horajska Shaikh (Kerry Geo)
2022-07-29 11:00 - 2022-07-31 18:00 | Valentia Island, Co. Kerry, Valentia Island
Credit: Independent.ie

Booking is now open for this IGA Excursion. Please fill in the booking form HERE

Aim of Excursion:

To explore and learn about a range of geologic, palaeontologic and heritage features in the Valentia Island and environs, Iveragh Peninsula, Co. Kerry with local and expert geologists.

General Itinerary (weather dependent):

Friday: Cnoc na dTobair (Hill of the Wells), weather permitting, to take an overview of the regional geology and to get our Iveragh Peninsula and Dingle Bay bearings. Friday evening: Synopsis of the weekend and the geological context (short talk by Dr. Aidan Forde); Slate Yard in Knightstown, location of first Transatlantic messaging.

Saturday Morning: Tetrapod tracks; Valentia Slate Quarry. Saturday Afternoon: Bray Head walk to see cliff scenery and Skellig in distance (also location of 19th Century copper mine); (alternative shorter walk) Kerry Cliffs walk – cliff scenery and Skellig in distance; Lighthouse Road (Tertiary dyke, Myriapod tracks and Devonian plant fossils).

Sunday morning: Boat trip to see Cathedral Cave and Beginish Gabbro (columnar jointing). Viking house on Beginish (cost sponsored by Valentia Slate); (Added option) White Strand – Peperite and Keel Tuff; (Added option) Ancient cliff collapse and storm beach at Reenadrolaun.

Please note: The Sunday Boat trip will involve a small charge for participants.

Some Accommodation in the Valentia Area and Iveragh Peninsula, Co. Kerry

Pressure on accommodation is high all round the country at this time so please secure accommodation as early as possible. We are here to help where possible with co-ordination of small group bookings and general assistance.

Room at Reenglass, Airbnb, Valentia, Airbnb

Royal Valentia Hotel, Knightstown, Valentia

The Skellig Lodge & Hostel, Ballinskelligs

Skellig Dock, Airbnb

Glanleam House, Valentia, Airbnb

Maoilinn House, Cahersiveen, Airbnb

Quinlan & Cooke Boutique Townhouse, Cahersiveen

The Old Monastery Guesthouse, Cahersiveen

When booking, please indicate your interest, or not, in sharing a meal together on one or both evenings on Valentia Island. This is possible in the Comments field of the booking form.

Credit: valentiaslate.com

IGA Lecture - Aodhán O'Gogáin (NUIG, iCRAG) - The Jarrow Amphibians and Ireland’s Carboniferous Coal Swamp Ecosystem
2022-06-29 19:00 - 20:00
Please note DATE CHANGE.

Aodhan O’Gogain (NUIG, iCRAG) will be talking about The Jarrow Amphibians and Ireland’s Carboniferous Coal Swamp Ecosystem.

Abstract:

The Jarrow fossil assemblage in County Kilkenny preserves, in coal and shale, a rare and diverse fauna of Carboniferous amphibians and fish. At Jarrow we get a rare glimpse of the Carboniferous world, particularly the lush equatorial rainforest swamps, which were teeming with fish and the first backboned animals that ventured onto land. However, despite its significance, this fossil site it is poorly known, likely a result of the poor appearance of the fossils themselves in which bone has been altered and coalified.

This talk will cover three aspects. First, we will look at the different animals that populated the estuaries, rivers and swamps of Carboniferous Kilkenny and that are now preserved at Jarrow. Amphibians from Jarrow will be visualised using a combination of micro-computed tomography and 3D visualisation to investigate their taxonomy and highlight their importance to our understanding of early amphibian evolution and ecology. Second, we will look at the palaeoecology of these animals and the palaeoenvironment in which they lived. Third, we will investigate the unique way in which these animals were preserved and what caused the alteration seen in preserved bone.

Aodhán O’Gogáin – Biography:

B.A. in Geology from Trinity College Dublin

MSc in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol

PhD. in Palaeontology from Trinity College Dublin. Thesis title: Application of micro-computed tomography towards a taxonomic and palaeobiological reassessment of Huxley and Wright’s (1867) tetrapods from the Jarrow Assemblage (Langsettian, Pennsylvanian), Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.

Postdoctoral Researcher at NUI Galway working on Carboniferous fish and tetrapod material.

Research Assistant at NUI Galway doing conodont biostratigraphy. Part of the iCRAG team.

Also worked on the relocation team for the Geological Survey of Ireland and was in charge of rehousing the Geological Survey Ireland fossil collection.

Research Interests: Early tetrapod evolution and ecology, Carboniferous fish palaeoecology, micro-computed tomography, coal sedimentology, fossil conservation and Irish palaeontology.

To Register: use the registration form here (if you have any issue completing the form, please e-mail info@geology.ie).

Weekend Workshop - 17-19th June 2022: Geobiology of the Leinster Granite, Co. Wicklow, with Maria Cullen & Howard Fox hosted by NPWS
2022-06-17 19:00 - 2022-06-19 18:00 | Glendalough Park, Glendalough
@ NPWS Education Centre, Bolger’s Cottage, Miners’ Way, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow

Photo credit: Maria Cullen

We are delighted to announce that booking is now open for this Weekend Workshop. Geobiology of Granite, aplite, pegmatite and quartz veins as well as the surrounding coticule and Ribband Group phyllite and schists. Biological groups, mainly cryptogamic botany (spore-producers) – lichenised and non-lichenised fungi, algae, mosses, liverworts, ferns and their allies, horsetails as well as vascular plants, diatoms and bacteria.

The IGA booking form for this Workshop is available HERE

IGA Lecture: Dr Catherine Delaney (Manchester Metropolitan University) on "Revealing the FineScale Dynamics of the Retreating Irish Ice Sheet"
2022-05-11 19:00 - 20:00
ABSTRACT

Melt from glaciers and ice sheets will play an increasingly important role in sea-level rise in the coming centuries. However, the response of ice sheets and glaciers to increasing temperatures is not straightforward and varies depending on conditions at the bed of the ice sheet or glacier. As the beds of modern ice sheets are inaccessible, a paleoglaciological approach is used – using the footprint of former ice sheets to infer conditions during deglaciation.

This talk will examine the impact of data resolution on understanding of the retreat of the last Irish Ice Sheet. The accuracy and usefulness of paleoglacial reconstructions depends on the recognition of associated suites of landforms and deposits – glacial landsystems – and dating of these deposits. In Ireland, eskers and low-amplitude landforms forming apparently chaotic hummocky topography are widely observed across the central Irish Midlands, and have been traditionally interpreted as evidence of ice stagnation during recession of the last Irish Ice sheet after c.20,000bp. However, high resolution airborne Lidar and photogrammetric DTMs, aerial photo mapping and field survey, indicate that the ice sheet switched between episodes of fast ice flow associated with a warm, wet ice sheet base, and a slower, partly stagnant ice margin, with parts of the margin frozen to the underlying bed. As the ice margin receded northwestward and westward across the Irish Midlands, large lakes were ponded between the ice margin and bedrock. These lakes were sediment sinks, and the deposits provide a continuous record of changing sediment inputs and associated ice dynamics. A combination of microscale sedimentological logging and micromorphological analysis indicates that these finely laminated sediments record annual variation in sediment input, and can be used to reconstruct meltwater inputs and associated ice sheet dynamics year by year.

BIOGRAPHY

Degree in Nat. Sci. TCD; PhD in Deglaciation of the Irish Midlands (eskers in particular), TCD; 5 years as a research assistant in UCC, working on the record of storms in Holocene coastal stratigraphies in the West of Ireland, Brittany and North- west Spain (lots of coring); 25 years+ atvManchester Metropolitan University. A sedimentologist and geomorphologist, specialising in landforms and deposits formed during ice retreat; have worked primarily in Ireland, but also in the UK and Iceland. Likes mud. A lot.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE or send an email to info@geology.ie All Welcome!

Zoom details will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

IGA Field Trip, 7 May 2022: Geology and Hydrology of the Fore Abbey/Lough Bane/Slieve na Calliagh Areas with Dr Robert Meehan (An Talamh Ireland)
2022-05-07 10:00 - 17:00 | Fore Abbey, Co. Westmeath, Fore, Ireland
IAH (Irish Group) members are most welcome.

Booking is now OPEN for this day excursion

Please book early to avoid disappointment HERE

What? The Seven Wonders of Fore – their geological significance

Photo Credit: Robert Meehan

Bedrock, Glacial action, Karst and Karstification, Holocene hydrology, Soils, Peat

Lunch at Fore (packed lunch advised)

Lough Bane

Bedrock, Glacial action, Karst and Karstification, Holocene hydrology, Soils, Water supply

Slieve na Calliagh (Loughcrew, Co. Meath)

Bedrock, Glacial action, Megalithic Tombs, Catchment hydrology, Soils

St. Kieran’s Well

Bedrock, Glacial action, Karst and Karstification, Heritage and folklore in geology

Why? This is an amazing excursion to a fantastic area with our erudite leader, Dr. Robert Meehan, hydrogeologist and author of “Making of Meath”

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR THIS EXCURSION:

www.bogfire.com/Graphic_Design/Book_Design/Making_of_Meath/making_of_meath/Making_of_Meath_book.htmlgsi.geodata.gov.ie/downloads/Geoheritage/Reports/WH008_Fore_Hills.pdfgsi.geodata.gov.ie/downloads/Geoheritage/Reports/WH014_Lough_Bane_Lough_Glass.pdfwww.gsi.ie/en-ie/publications/Pages/Geoschol-Westmeath-Geology.aspxwww.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/79315?show=full Conor Quinlan PhD 2010 with Dr. David Drew ‘Karstification and groundwater-surface water interactions in the Meath-Westmeath lakeland region’, [thesis], Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland). Department of Geography, pp 363www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM124.pdfwww.catchments.ie/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Abstraction-Lakes-Final-Report-Jan09.pdftheirishaesthete.com/tag/fore/bogwarrior.com/2016/09/30/7-wonders-of-fore/visionsofthepastblog.com/2018/02/23/fore-abbey-westmeath-ireland/www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/protected-sites/conservation_objectives/CO002120.pdfwww.npws.ie/sites/default/files/protected-sites/conservation_objectives/CO001810.pdfwww.knowth.com/loughcrew_cairns.htmmythicalireland.com/ancient-sites/loughcrew-sliabh-na-calliagh/

Down to Earth - Exploring Ireland's Geology Exhibition Visit (Michèle Castiaux and Patrick Roycroft, IGA)
2022-04-23 11:00 - 13:00 | National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Benburb Street, Dublin, D07 XKV4, Ireland
Down to Earth – Exploring Ireland’s Geology Exhibition

Details TBC. National Museum of Ireland, Benburb St, Dublin 7, D07 XKV4.

James Hendry (Adjunct Professor at UCD) : “Hot, Salty and Faulty Dolomites: Records of Basin-Scale Fluid Flow on the Isle of Man and North Dublin Coast”
2022-04-13 19:00 - 20:00
“Hot, Salty and Faulty Dolomites: Records of Basin-Scale Fluid Flow on the Isle of Man and North Dublin Coast”

By Dr James Hendry (Adjunct Professor UCD)

Abstract:

Carboniferous platform limestones exposed on the Isle of Man and in the coastal outcrops of the NE Dublin Basin display striking examples of dolomite formation as a result of fault and fracture formation, locally associated with base-metal mineralisation and silicification. The dolomites are proxies for large-scale circulation of salty, metal-enriched fluids, but the details and timing of these fluids can be difficult to constrain. This talk will review 1) field, petrographic and geochemical data from NE Dublin and the Isle of Man and discuss whether these areas are discrete cases of dolomite formation or part of a regionally extensive “plumbing system”; 2) whether these dolomite-rich rocks might host recoverable ore deposits, or even hydrocarbons.

Biography:

First degree: Natural Sciences (Cambridge)

PhD: Carbonate sedimentary petrology and geochemistry (Liverpool)

Postdocs: (1) Royal Society European Fellowship using coral reef diagenesis to record fluid flow history in a foreland basin

(2) Elf UK Research Fellowships studying controls on North Sea oil reservoir quality

Academic: (1) Queen’s University Belfast – lecturer

(2) University of Portsmouth UK – senior / principal lecturer

Industry: (1) BG Group UK – senior reservoir geologist coordinating first “western” evaluation of a giant field in the former Soviet Union.

(2) Shell Global Solutions International (Netherlands) – senior carbonate geologist mostly working on a giant Arabian Gulf gas field.

(3) Tullow Oil Limited – lead / principal exploration geoscientist involved in new ventures (S. America, Africa, Europe) plus working exploration licences offshore Jamaica and Peru.

Other: About 30 research papers published, editor of Geological Society Special Publication 509 on Seismic Characterisation of Carbonate Platforms and Reservoirs, associate editor for “Sedimentology”.

I left Tullow in 2020, since then set up my own consultancy, was also appointed Adjunct Professor at UCD and Professional Member of the IGI.

Am currently part time Executive Officer for the International Association of Sedimentologists and looking for / conducting technical consultancy the rest of the time.

Interests: Sedimentology, petrography, diagenesis, regional geology and exploration play definition, plus particular focus on carbonate geology and geochemistry.

Date and Time: Wednesday, 13 April 2022, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.

To Register: please register here (in case of problem, e-mail info@geology.ie)

A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Field trip - 2nd April 2022: Ballynaguilsha Quarry and The Geological Survey of Ireland Core Store, Birr with Markus Pracht (Geological Survey Ireland)
2022-04-02 10:30 - 16:30
IGA EXCURSION: BIRR AREA, CO. OFFALY

Ballynaguilsha Quarry and The Geological Survey of Ireland Core Store, Birr

Image credit: John Kelly

Click here for field trip notes.

ABSTRACT:

What is “Waulsortian Limestone”? We will discuss the Waulsortian as a facies and in the context of stratigraphy. What are the building blocks comprising the “Waulsortian limestone” in Ireland? We will try to visualize the geometry of the “Waulsortian”. How useful is borehole data? What are its limitations? The WA limestone facies can often (but not always) be divided into several sub-facies, depending on their relative position within the “WA complex” as seen in core or outcrop today and a simple terminology will be benchmarked against the outcrop in the quarry and later to the borehole. In the afternoon we will visit the core store of the Geological Survey of Ireland in Birr (picture on the left), where we will study the Grangegorman borehole (GSI-21-004). This borehole was drilled as an exploratory borehole to assess the potential for deep geothermal energy in the Dublin area. The borehole collared and penetrated 665m of basinal lithologies of (probably) Lucan Formation (Dublin Formation: Chadian-Arundian: Nolan 1986) followed by >330m of (probably) Tober Colleen Formation and terminated at 998m. The borehole is situated <200 meters to the north of the axial trace of the NE-SW trending Kings Bridge Anticline (Nolan 1986). This borehole was drilled in argillaceous limestone and dk-gy mudstone/shale. The argillaceous limestone and shale sedimentation in the Lucan Formation exhibits cyclicity (picture above). Detrital siliciclastics occur in some limestone and shales (especially in the Lucan Formation) but due to their grain size their extend is difficult to estimate.

MEETING POINT

Ballynaguilsha Quarry , Birr, Co. Offaly, 10.30am

ITINERARY

In the morning we will visit Ballynaguilsha Quarry to look at an outcrop of Waulsortian limestone. In the afternoon we will visit the core store of the Geological Survey of Ireland in Birr, where we will study the Grangegorman borehole (GSI-21-004).

Date: Saturday 2nd April, 2022, 10.30 to 4pm.

Leader: Dr Markus Pracht (GSI)

Registration on a first come, first served basis with current IGA members having priority.

Please register HERE by Friday 25th March.

N.B. All attendees will be expected to follow Covid-19 government guidelines and the IGA Covid-19 guidelines.

AGM and New Website Launch
2022-03-30 19:00 - 20:00
View the AGM Agenda HERE.You can register via the Google Form HERE,or register by email to info@geology.ie.

IGA Lecture - 16th March, 7pm - “The Geoheritage of the Sliabh Liag Peninsula (County Donegal)” By Dr. Sadhbh Baxter (NUIG)
2022-03-16 19:00 - 20:00
Biography

Sadhbh Baxter is a lecturer in Earth and Ocean Sciences in NUI Galway where she teaches optical microscopy and igneous and metamorphic petrology. She also runs the Diploma in Earth and Ocean Sciences, which covers a much broader range of topics in the geosciences. This has given her a taste for learning about all the geology of an area and being able to show non-geologists the wonders of geology through field trips and workshops. While reasonably familiar with the geology of Connemara, and the Carlingford Lough area, it was only a chance phone call in late 2020 that brought her up to Sliabh Liag and the wonderful geology and landscapes that are to be seen there.

Abstract: In 2020, the Sliabh Liag Peninsula was awarded a Geological Survey Ireland Geoheritage grant to develop a summer school (‘Our Heritage in Rock’), map, and website, all of which would explore the geological heritage of the region. The scenery and geology of the area is spectacular, ranging from Dalradian-age diamictites through to Quaternary cliffs – with the central point of many people’s visit to the area being the Sliabh Liag cliffs themselves. This presentation will explore the area’s geology and, hopefully, will encourage some of you unfamiliar with the area to go off the beaten track and see it for yourselves – perhaps even at the 2022 Summer School in July!

Date and Time: Wednesday, 16 March 2022, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.To Register: send an e-mail to info@geology.ieA Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

IGA Lecture -7pm, 23rd February 2022: “Chemical Weathering as a Strategy for the Large-Scale Capture and Storage of Atmospheric CO2” By Prof. Frank McDermott (UCD)
2022-02-23 19:00 - 20:00
“Chemical Weathering as a Strategy for the Large-Scale Capture and Storage of Atmospheric CO2”

By Prof. Frank McDermott (UCD)

Abstract:

Chemical weathering is an important but imperfect thermostat that has maintained Earth’s surface temperature within a broad range over much of geological time. This loose regulation arises because: (i) chemical weathering of silicate rocks and minerals consumes carbonic acid that is in chemical equilibrium with atmospheric CO2, thereby removing CO2 and (ii) the chemical weathering rates of common silicate minerals increase with higher temperatures. Thus, for example, a sudden release of CO2 to the atmosphere by large scale volcanism in the geological past would have caused some global warming initially, but this warming would then have produced enhanced silicate weathering that in turn would gradually remove much of the excess CO2 from the atmosphere, eventually averting runaway warming. This negative feedback in Earth’s climate system therefore acts as a crude global thermostat on geological timescales. On human timescales however, this natural thermostat is far too sluggish to remove the c. 35 billion tonnes of CO2 that humans inject into the atmosphere every year. The question explored in this talk is whether large scale engineered, enhanced chemical weathering could and should now be used to remove gigatonne quantities of CO2 annually from the atmosphere. This question is increasingly important because it is now recognised that active removal of atmospheric CO2 in tandem with drastic reductions in emissions may be essential to achieve ‘net-zero’ by 2050, a critical requirement to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees centigrade. One approach that is often proposed is to spread crushed rocks or minerals on soils to enhance global chemical weathering rates and thereby draw down atmospheric CO2. In principle this approach ought to work, because consumption of carbonic acid in soils by the weathering reactions, followed by the removal of weathering-derived calcium, magnesium and dissolved bicarbonate by rivers should increase ocean alkalinity and pH, allowing limestone to precipitate and lock up carbon for millions of years. Co-benefits might include an alleviation of ongoing ocean acidification and enhanced nutrients for crop plants. On the other hand, there are numerous objections, ranging from the moral hazard that geoengineered solutions might undermine emission reduction efforts, to scientific concerns in relation to land use, soil health and the carbon footprint of such activities. This talk will focus mainly on the use of crushed basalt in enhanced weathering, but the use of some industrial alkaline waste streams with potential for carbon dioxide removal at scale will also be mentioned. Geologists have a vital role to play because their skills are critical to evaluate the availability and suitability of candidate rocks and minerals for large scale engineered enhanced chemical weathering schemes, and their deep-time perspectives are crucial to assess the long-term impacts on Earth systems.

Frank McDermott – Biographical Summary

Professor Frank McDermott is currently Head of Geology atUniversity College Dublin and has been lecturing at thedepartment since 1996. Frank is a geochemist with broadinterests in aqueous and low-temperature geochemistry, mineralweathering, isotope geology and U-series dating methods,palaeoclimatology, atmospheric processes and energymeteorology. His PhD was on “Granite Petrogenesis and crustalevolution studies in the Pan-African Damara belt, Namibia” whichhe obtained form Open University and subsequently became aresearcher for them also. Prior to his graduate study, Frankworked in the Mineral Exploration. Frank is also currently anelected member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA and Directorof the National Centre for Isotope Geochemistry (NCIG).

Date and Time: Wednesday, 23 February 2022, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.

To Register: send an e-mail to info@geology.ie

A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Joint Geological Associations Lecture: “Seafloor Mapping: From Inshore Ireland to the Abyss” by Aileen Bohan (Geological Survey Ireland/ GEBCO)
2022-01-27 19:00 - 20:00
WHEN: THURSDAY 27th JANUARY 2022 AT 7PM.

ABSTRACT

We will begin by looking at INFOMAR, the successor to the Irish National Seabed Survey, and the importance of seabed mapping for an island nation, before investigating a variety of seafloor features and shipwrecks from around the Irish coast. We’ll then look at the seafloor from a global perspective, focusing on the work of GEBCO (General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans) and their collaborative project with the Nippon Foundation to produce, by 2030, the first full bathymetry map of the ocean seafloor (Seabed2030). We’ll finish with a look at a major data contributor to Seabed2030, the Five Deeps Expedition. This took place in 2019 and involved crewed descents via submarine to the deepest points of the world’s five oceans.

AILEEN BOHAN obtained her undergraduate degree from Trinity College, Dublin and then obtained a Masters in Exploration Field Geology from University College, Cork. Aileen joined the Geological Survey of Ireland’s INFOMAR team in 2014 as part of the Marine and Coastal Unit. She has taken part in many international research cruises. In 2017, she won a scholarship to attend a Postgraduate Certificate in Ocean Bathymetry at the University of New Hampshire (USA) as part of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) training programme. Aileen then joined the GEBCO Alumni, being on the winning team for the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, where she assisted in developing autonomous mapping solutions for the deep ocean. She has remained involved in GEBCO and is currently Chair-Elect of GEBCO’s Sub-Committee on Regional Undersea Mapping.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE or e-mail us at info@geology.ie

All Welcome!Zoom details will be sent on the day to those who have registered

IGA lecture – 8 December 2021, 7pm: Virtual Volcanoes: Predicting When a Volcano Turns Deadly on Earth and Other Planets By Dr Claire Harnett (UCD)
2021-12-08 19:00 - 20:00
Image Credit: © Alexander Schimmeck/Unsplash – bgs.ac.uk

Abstract:

Volcanic instability can lead to explosive activity and pyroclastic flow generation, both during an ongoing eruption and outside of active lava extrusion, making edifice instability one of the most deadly consequences of volcanic activity. The mechanisms linked to a collapse are, however, still poorly understood and very few numerical models exist that investigate the actual collapse of a volcanic dome after emplacement. Using a novel technique, I investigate volcanic dome growth, as well as investigating the conditions that promote collapse, both on Earth and on other planetary environments. I show that volcanic dome collapse exhibits many features similar to common landslides and, by investigating strain patterns within the dome, I use modelling to understand features that normally elude field observations.

Biography:

Dr Claire Harnett has a BSc from the University of Portsmouth (UK) and completed her PhD at the University of Leeds (UK) where she looked at understanding the mechanisms of collapse at lava domes. Claire now works as an Assistant Professor at UCD, where she teaches geology for engineers, as well as field skills and investigating sedimentary deposits. Claire explores volcanic instability in a broader context, for example in successive eruptions, in the context of caldera collapse, or in planetary environments. Her main research interest is bridging the gap between volcanology and engineering in order to understand volcanic stability hazards. When she’s not simulating virtual volcanoes, she can be found squashing rocks in the lab instead!

Date and Time: Wednesday, 8 December 2021, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.

To Register: send an e-mail to info@geology.ie

A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Image Credit: © Alexander Schimmeck/Unsplash – bgs.ac.uk

Collecting Adventures in Mexico” by Dr Peter K. M. Megaw (President of IMDEX/Cascabel)
2021-11-24 19:00 - 20:00
Abstract:

This talk will weave together the two strands of my geological vocation (mineral exploration) and avocation (mineral collecting) as they have evolved over more than 40 years of mineral work in Mexico. The geological environment and framework of each of the major mineral specimen localities that I have worked in will be discussed as a context for the beautiful specimens they produce. There will be something for everyone to enjoy in this lecture: from the scientific professional to the mineral specimen hobbyist.

Biography

Dr. Peter K. M. Megaw Consulting Exploration Geologist, President of IMDEX/Cascabel and co-founder of MAG Silver and Minaurum Gold. His PhD work at the University of Arizona was an exploration-focused geological/geochemical study of the Santa Eulalia Ag–Pb–Zn District, Chihuahua, and carbonate replacement deposits (CRDs) of Mexico in general. He has published extensively on CRDs and epithermal vein deposits and is a frequent speaker at international academic and technical symposia. His primary exploration foci are CRDs and epithermal vein deposits, on which he has worked throughout the Cordillera of North and South America, Ireland, and Turkey. Peter was awarded the Society of Mining Engineers 2012 Robert M. Dreyer Award for excellence in applied economic geology and the PDAC 2017 Thayer Lindsley Award for outstanding exploration success for the significant discoveries made by his team at Juanicipio–Fresnillo, Zacatecas; Platosa, Durango; and Cinco de Mayo–Pozo Seco, Chihuahua.

Having been a mineral collector since first setting foot in Santa Eulalia (Mexico) 43 years ago, Peter’s collecting proclivities have become, over time, almost exclusively for minerals of Mexico, and he has spoken and written extensively on specimen localities there; most recently in-depth articles for The Mineralogical Record on the Milpillas Mine in Sonora (with Evan Jones) and the Santa Eulalia Mining District in Chihuahua. He is a contributing editor for Rocks & Minerals and writes graphic geologies for Mineral Monographs. In 1979, Peter moved to Tucson and joined the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society (TGMS), taking on the role of Exhibits Chair for the show in 1984. His work as an exploration geologist has included extensive travel, which has given him the opportunity to visit most of the world’s major mineral museums with an eye out for what they might bring to Tucson. In his spare time Peter collaborates on studies of silver isotopes in silver minerals, is Mindat’s moderator for submissions on Mexico and co-moderator of the FMF Mineral Forum. A combination of all of the above led him to be awarded the Carnegie Mineralogical Award for 2009.

Date and Time: Wednesday, 24 November 2021, between 19:00 pm and 20:00 via Zoom.

To Register: send an e-mail to irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com. A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

IGA Lecture, 27 October: Evolution and Resources of the Sedimentary Basins of Central Algeria by Dr Kara English (UCD)
2021-10-27 20:00 - 21:00
FULL ABSTRACT
The evolution of the sedimentary basins in Algeria began with the amalgamation of the Gondwana supercontinent. By the Upper Cambrian, the northern margin of Gondwana was open to the Proto Tethys, leading to the deposition of a vast clastic Cambro– dominated sequence from the Ordovician onwards. The Saharan platform was segmented into NStrending basins due to the Hercynian orogeny, and intervening uplifts. The resultant basins evolved variably, particularly with the development of an extensive Triassic saltbasin across much of the northeast sector. Large-scale uplift (1-3 km) of intracratonic highs in the central platform during the Eocene, including the Hoggar Massif, further changed the geometry of the northwestern African basins, due to extensive exhumation, erosion and tilting. Late Eocene exhumation had a major impact on the region ’ s hydrogeological regime and petroleum systems due to structural modification and fluid remigration. Algeria remains an important and fascinating region in terms of resources including Saharan aquifers, petroleum, and carbon storage.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr Kara English has a BSc from the University of Victoria (Canada) and a PhD in basin analysis from the University of Manchester (UK), where she focussed on the exhumation history of Algerian sedimentary basins. Kara started her career in the petroleum industry in Canada and has since worked on projects in over 40 countries throughout North, South, and Central America; Europe; Africa, and the middle East. She was also a technical lead for the government and industry initiative that redefined the stratigraphic framework of Ireland s offshore sedimentary basins and is a founding member of the Stratigraphic Commission of Offshore Ireland. Kara is currently Assistant Professor of Sedimentology at UCD and lead of the Sustainable GeoEnergy Research Group, which focusses on energy transition research and our energy future. On weekends she can mostly likely be found on the sideline of a football or hockey pitch.
When: Wednesday 27th October, 2021, 7pm
Where: TO REGISTER CLICK Online via Zoom HERE or send an email to info@geology.ie
All Welcome! Zoom details will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

IGA Excursion to the Hook Peninsula, Co. Wexford on Saturday 25th September
2021-09-25 11:30 - 18:30
Cambrian and Devono-Carboniferous palaeoenvironments of the Hook Peninsula, Co Wexford
Leader: Prof Peter Haughton (UCD School of Earth Sciences)
Date: Saturday, 25th September, 2021.
TO REGISTER please fill in the registration form HERE
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
Please register by Saturday 18th September.
N.B. All attendees will be expected to follow Covid-19 government guidelines and the IGA Covid-19 guidelines.
ABSTRACT
A day-trip to examine aspects of the geology at the eastern of the Munster Basin with a focus on reconstructing environments of deposition across a range of settings – terrestrial, shallow marine and deep-sea. The Hook Head area is renowned for the quality of the rock exposures and the variety of the geology that encapsulates many of the important events in the Palaeozoic history of SE Ireland. The outcrops are all coastal and require short walks (up to 1 km) across fields and uneven rocky foreshores to access. We will combine thinking about physical sedimentary structures with evidence from trace fossils, palaeoecology and palaeocurrents to build up a picture of where we are on the depositional profile. In addition, we will consider the interesting post-depositional history of these rocks and the wider implications. There will be a quick stop at Fethard-on-Sea at lunchtime. The trip will finish at c. 5.30 pm to allow time for the return home.
MEETING POINT: Templetown, 10.30 am.
For anyone coming from Dublin via the M11/N11/R733, it is a two hour 15 minute drive.
ITINERARY (depending on weather and prevailing wind-direction)
– Stop 1: Templetown Bay: Cambrian distal basin floor deposits with extensive soft-sediment deformation and rare trace fossils as well as spectacular tectonic deformation. Contact with the Devonian Templetown Conglomerate – fault or unconformity? Old Red Sandstone provenance.
– Stop 2: Sandeel Bay: River deposits at the end of the Devonian. Interleaved floodplain and river channel deposits. Reconstructing river scale from fossilised bar forms. Late Devonian flora.
– Stop 3: Woarway Bay: Transgression of the shoreline. Variable energy coastal and shallow-marine deposits and mixed clastic-carbonate deposition. Deposition from tropical storm events. Use of bioturbation in inferring depositional position.
– Stop 4: Little Cove NW of Hook Head lighthouse: Contact between the Bullockpark Bay dolomite and Ballysteen Fm. Faults, fluids and wider significance for Irish-type Zn-Pb deposits.
Peter Haughton, our Leader, is a Professor of Sedimentology based in the UCD School of Earth Sciences. He is a graduate of TCD with a PhD from the University of Glasgow. He has worked in both the minerals and energy industries before joining UCD in 1996. His research interests lie in terrestrial and deep-water sedimentary processes, sediment provenance, stratigraphy and the interaction between tectonics and sedimentation.
REFERENCES
Klavins, S.D. (2004) Re-interpretation of Wexfordia hookense from the Upper Devonian of Ireland as an arborescent lycophyte. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 144, 275–287.
Sleeman,A.G., Higgs K. and Sevastopulo, G.D. (1983). The stratigraphy of the Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous rocks of south County Wexford. Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Ireland, 3, 141–158.
Sleeman, A. G., Johnston, I. S., Naylor, D. and Sevastopulo, G. D. (1974) The stratigraphy of the Carboniferous rocks of Hook Head, Co. Wexford. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy.
Section B: Biological, Geological, and Chemical Science, 74, 227-243.
Tietzsch-Tyler, D., Sleeman, A.G. (1994). Geology of South Wexford: a geological description of South Wexford and adjoining parts of Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow to accompany the Bedrock Geology 1:100,000 scale Map Series, Sheet 23, South Wexford. Geological Survey of Ireland

IGA Lecture on 22 September 2021 - 7pm: Triassic Tales from an Arid Ireland by Dr Shane Tyrrell (NUI Galway)
2021-09-22 20:00 - 21:00
Triassic Tales from an Arid Ireland
By Dr Shane Tyrrell (NUI Galway)

When: Wednesday 22nd September 2021, 7pm
Where: Online via Zoom
All welcome!
Abstract: During the Triassic period (252–201 Ma), Ireland lay ~20° north of the equator in the arid to semi-arid interior of the Pangea Supercontinent. Desert conditions, dominated by wind-blown sand systems, were punctuated by seasonal precipitation which drove large-scale, ephemeral, fluvial systems from mountainous hinterlands into parched basin interiors. The deposited sandstones now form an important resource – they are reservoirs for hydrocarbons, aquifers for groundwater, potential sources of geothermal heating, and sites for carbon sequestration. This talk aims to show how provenance techniques, based on signals in individual sand grains, have led to new models for Triassic palaeogeography. These reconstructions shed new light on this part of Irish geological history, while also providing insight into how climate, topography, and geography have combined to produce a regionally significant, and economically important, sandstone.
You can download a short flyer for this lecture to send to whoever you wish HERE or a detailed abstract and bio HERE.
To Register click HERE or send an e-mail to info@geology.ie
Zoom details will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Photo by Sharad Bhat on Unsplash

Peter Lewis Memorial Excursion to Avoca Mines and Gold Mines River, Co. Wicklow
2021-09-18 12:00 - 17:00
Dear Members,
We are thrilled to announce the forthcoming excursion to Avoca, Co. Wicklow in memory of a previous President of the Irish Geological Association, Peter Lewis, who was very interested in gold panning.
Vital details are below:
Where?
Avoca, Co. Wicklow
(Exact location will be communicated with registered attendees later)
When?
Saturday, 18th September,
11am – 4pm
Who?
Leader: Nick Coy
TO REGISTER please fill in the registration form HERE
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
Please register by Sunday 12th September.
Very few places!
N.B. All attendees will be expected to follow Covid-19 government guidelines
and the IGA Covid-19 guidelines.
You can view the IGA’s “Covid-19 Health & Safety Guidelines” Document HERE
Please note that non-members are allowed to attend one excursion as a sampler before deciding to become a fully-fledged IGA member. Aside from that, excursions are for members only. If you would like to attend this excursion and have not renewed your membership for 2021, you can do so by filling in THIS FORM or you can contact us and we can e-mail you a form to print, fill out and e-mail back to us.
If you have any questions about this excursion, please feel free to contact us at excursions@geology.ie or info@geology.ie or call our Excursions Secretary, Maria Cullen on 087 3581302
Keep safe!
IGA Council

Lecture on 25 August 2021 at 7pm: "Green Minerals – How Mining will Save the Planet" By Eoin McGrath (Geological Survey Ireland)
2021-08-25 20:00 - 21:00
When: Wednesday 25th August, 2021, 7pm
Where: Online via Zoom
All welcome!

ABSTRACT
With the climate crisis driving society away from its reliance on fossil fuels and towards more renewable energy sources, this talk will explore the future of mining and the minerals sector. The opportunities and challenges of decarbonising our society and the increasing role of minerals in our future will be discussed.

Eoin McGrath is head of the minerals programme at Geological Survey Ireland. Prior to joining the survey he worked extensively across multiple areas of geology, spending a decade travelling the world exploring for new mineral deposits. He has also worked for the mining regulator and in academic research groups both in Ireland and abroad. Since the pandemic hit he has been locked in his home office in Waterford gazing longingly at the outdoors and hopes this will be one of his final virtual talks.

To Register click HERE or send an e-mail to info@geology.ie

Zoom details will be sent on the day to those who have registered

Photo credits: ipopba / Getty Images / ecowatch.com
