Irish Geological Association

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 (Europe/Dublin) | 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

IGA Heritage Week Projects & Recommendations
2021-08-14 01:00 - 2021-08-23 00:59
Heritage Week this year runs from Saturday 14th August until Sunday 22nd August and not only do we have a few of our own projects this year but there’s a whole host of geological projects for you to choose from, which is great to see! Many thanks to the IGA Heritage Week Working Group for all their hard work (Maria Cullen, Bill Sheppard and Laura Smith).
IGA Heritage Week 2021 Projects
1. IGA Geology Map of Ireland in Pictures

Dan O’Connell and Michele Castiaux have devised this incredible interactive way for us to share images of our local geology, inspired by some of the restrictions we’ve faced over the last year. You can see the map HERE and if you have any photos to submit you can do so by e-mailing these with a location and description to info@geology.ie.
It would be great to get coverage of photos from all around the country, so I encourage you all to submit your favourite geological photo!
We hope to keep this map alive even after Heritage Week is over!

2. Ireland’s Ancient Volcanoes Project

Margaret Franklin has done some excellent work putting together this project and it’s one we hope to follow up with an excursion next year!
Hopefully, this project will inspire people to consider Ireland’s volcanic heritage as well as the geology of Vinegar Hill, Co. Wexford & Croughan Hill, Co. Offally in particular.

3. History, Geology & Bidoversity at St. Mary’s, New Ross –
Sunday 15th August, 3pm & Child Friendly Event Wednesday 18th August, 3pm

A few members of the IGA Council, Bill Sheppard, Maria Cullen & Laura Smith have joined forces with a New Ross native Historian, Myles Courtney to pull together the links between the provenance of building stones in St. Mary’s Church of Ireland New Ross. This is an excellent follow-up to Bill’s lecture in June. If you missed it you can watch it HERE.
We will be leading a trip together in the beautiful grounds at St. Mary’s. You can sign up for this event HERE.
The event on Wednesday 18th of August will be child-friendly and part of Heritage Week‘s Wild Child Day, encouraging young people to explore heritage too!
We will be adding more times and dates if there is a lot of interest.

3. “Ask A Geologist” Zoom Event
Thursday 19th August, 7pm

We often receive pictures of rocks and queries from the public via our Facebook page, so we thought we’d give people the chance to ask these in real life! You can sign up to this event and submit your questions HERE. Even if you don’t have a question yourself, feel free to come along and join in the discussions!

4. What do the beach stones South of Passage East tell us?
Friday 20th & Sunday 22nd August (Contact Bill to Arrange a time)

Bill Sheppard will be leading small groups along the beach at Passage East, Co. Waterford exploring the origin of the beach stones and what they can tell us about the history of the Waterford Estuary.
You can e-mail Bill at billsheppard.liamin@gmail.com to arrange a time if you wish to attend!

7.The Geology and Biodiversity of Dough Mountain GHA and NHA
Sunday 22nd August, 11am

Howard Fox & Maria Cullen will be leading a 3-hour nature walk at Dough Mountian, North Co. Leitrim exploring the geology, hydrology, plants, birds & other wildlife along the way.

A timetable of other Heritage Week geoscience events are available on the Geological Survey Website here.

IGA EXCURSION : Knocksink Wood, Co. Wicklow Saturday 7th August, 2021
2021-08-07 12:00 - 16:00
Dear Members,
We are absolutely delighted to announce that we are able to invite you to participate in an excursion once again!! We will be continuing to monitor risks associated with the pandemic, however as it stands currently, our Health & Safety Officer has deemed it safe to conduct small group excursions. Should this change, we will let you know! The trip below will take place entirely outdoors and participants will be asked to agree to follow all government and IGA Covid-19 guidelines at all times.
You can read a full Field Guide and details of the excursion HERE. Many thanks to our Excursion Secretary, Maria Cullen, for organising the trip and putting together this fantastic guide! Vital details are below:
Where?
Knocksink Wood Nature Reserve,
Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
(Exact location will be communicated with registered attendees)
When?
Saturday, 7th August,
11am – 3pm
Who?
Led by Melinda Lyons (TU Dublin)
and Howard Fox (IGA)
TO REGISTER please fill in the registration form HERE
Registration on a first come, first served basis.
Please register by Saturday 31st July.
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 only allowed to attend 1 excursion as a taster, and 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 at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@geology.ie.
Stay safe!
Kind Regards,
IGA Council

Image: https://www.glencullenfarm.ie/news/knocksink-wood-nature-trail/

IGA Lecture on 23rd June 2021 at 7pm - "Mary Anning: Her Life and Times" by Dr. Ed Jarvis (University College Cork)
2021-06-23 20:00 - 21:00
We are delighted to announce our next lecture from Dr. Ed Jarvis taking place on Wednesday 23rd June at 7pm via Zoom!
Abstract: Mary Anning (1799–1847, living her entire life in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England) made major contributions to palaeontology in the first half of the 19th century. However, coming from a working-class background, she had no formal scientific education and she found herself working at a time when it was very hard for a female scientist to be taken seriously. This talk will explore the nature of Mary’s contributions to geology, both in her work as a gifted amateur palaeontologist and in the positive influence as a role model that she had on subsequent generations of women, not only scientists.
Dr David Edward Jarvis grew up exposed to Mary Anning’s legacy in the West Country of England before joining the Geology Department in UCC some 35 years ago.
Date and Time:
Wednesday, 23rd June 2021, between 19:00 and 20:00 via Zoom.
To Register:
Please e-mail info@geology.ie BEFORE 1pm on 23rd June 2021
Zoom link will be sent to those registered on the day of the lecture.
Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

IGA Lecture on May 12th 2021 at 7pm - "Geoheritage and Geological Outreach: Waterford Harbour as a Local Template" by Dr. William "Bill" Sheppard (CEO of Trails Creative)
2021-05-12 20:00 - 21:00
IGA Lecture on May 12th 2021 at 7pm
Geoheritage and Geological Outreach:
Waterford Harbour as a Local Template
by Dr. William “Bill” Sheppard (CEO of Trails Creative)
We are delighted to announce our next lecture by fellow committee member, Dr. Bill Sheppard, on “Geoheritage and Geological Outreach: Waterford Harbour as a Local Template”.

Abstract: There has been a significant growth in European geotourism and geoheritage, and Ireland holds huge potential for this sector. From this perspective, this talk will review Waterford Harbour’s bedrock and glacial geology, the region’s post-glacial landscape development, and how geology has influenced the area’s human history. There are many geological resources that could be harnessed for geological outreach and geotourism, not least the geoheritage and outreach potential of Ireland’s National Monuments Service construction stone studies. In addition, the concept of Astronomical Geological timelines (AGeoT©) will be introduced. This presentation will, hopefully, motivate other local geology experts to consider promoting and developing geological outreach and geotourism activities in their own localities.

Dr. Bill Sheppard
Biography: Bill Sheppard completed a Ph.D. at Trinity College Dublin on the Avoca Mine (County Wicklow) in 1981. His global career in exploration and mining geology extended to over 30 countries. He undertook reporting to Stock Exchange Standards, mineral deposit studies and mentoring for many international geological teams. He had a major role in the discovery of gold systems at Cavanacaw (County Tyrone), and in North Wexford. Bill is completing his fourth year as a member of the Board of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland, focusing on geological outreach and on continuing professional development, and is the local geologist on the Creadan Head Archaeological Steering Group (County Waterford).
Operating as Trails Creative, Bill now focuses on geological outreach, trail planning and promoting biodiversity awareness in local communities. He has run Heritage Week events on bedrock, glacial geology, National Monument building stone, and goats. His geological chapter in the Barony of Gaultier Historical Society’s forthcoming publication on the heritage of East Waterford is ready for publication. Looking ahead, in addition to geo-archaeology, Bill aims to increase community awareness of geology and geological heritage and, building on the Copper Coast Geopark success, to increase the profile of Southeast Ireland as a geological tourist destination.

Date and Time: Wednesday, 12th May 2021, between 19:00 and 20:00 via Zoom.
To Register: All welcome! Please send an e-mail to irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com BEFORE the 12th May 2021 at 1pm.
A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.
(Photo Credit: www.waterfordnow.ie)

IGA Lecture on 14th April 2021 by Jennifer Scully (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
2021-04-14 20:00 - 21:00
Title: “There and Back Again: A Geologist’s Tale of Planetary Exploration”
Abstract: In this talk, I will give an overview of the NASA missions I have taken part in, focusing on the planetary geology investigations that derive from the mission data. I will begin with the Dawn mission, which used an ion propulsion–driven spacecraft to orbit and explore two of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres. Vesta is a largely dry body with a basaltic crust, which has been modified over millions of years by meteorite impacts and fracturing/faulting. Scientific investigations of Vesta are greatly aided by the presence of samples of Vesta that have fallen to the Earth as meteorites. Ceres is the only dwarf planet in the inner solar system and is the largest object in the asteroid belt. There is a relatively large amount of water ice just underneath Ceres’ surface; it is likely that a subsurface ocean once existed within Ceres. Salt-rich pockets of the relict subsurface ocean are likely present in the subsurface today and drive the formation of spectacularly bright salt formations and an isolated mountain. I will then discuss Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which contains a present-day, extensive subsurface ocean of great interest to the astrobiological community. I am currently working on the Europa Clipper mission, which will, in the near future, investigate Europa via multiple flybys. I will finish by talking about mission concepts I have participated in to explore a variety of planetary bodies via landing and/or sample return.
Biography: Dr Jennifer Scully is a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, which is funded by NASA and managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She graduated with a B.A. in Science (Geology) from Trinity College Dublin in 2010, after enjoying her time in the Museum Building and on field trips around Ireland, Scotland and Spain. She then moved to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in geology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), which focused on planetary geology. During her time at UCLA, Jennifer worked on NASA’s Dawn mission, which at the time was exploring the asteroid Vesta. After graduating from UCLA in 2015, Jennifer became a Caltech postdoctoral scholar based at JPL and continued her work on the Dawn mission, which had then moved on to orbiting and studying dwarf planet Ceres. Since becoming a JPL scientist in 2017, Jennifer has become involved with the Clipper mission to Jupiter’s icy moon/ocean world Europa. She has also worked on a variety of mission concepts for the exploration of Europa, Ceres, comets and asteroids by landers and sample return.
Date and Time: Wednesday, 14 April 2021, between 19:00 and 20:00 via Zoom.
To Register: send an e-mail to irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com BEFORE the 14th April 2021 at 1pm.
A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Lecture, March 10th 2021: "The Curious Case of the Campi Flegrei Volcanic Complex (Italy)" by Isabel O’Brien (Open University Graduate)
2021-03-10 19:00 - 20:00
Abstract: This presentation compiles information from peer-reviewed literature relating to activity at the Campi Flegrei Volcanic Complex (Italy) over the past 2,200 years to examine the main models of caldera dynamics. The Campi Flegrei complex is one of the most active calderas in the world, yet it also has a high population density, thereby creating an extreme volcanic hazard. The Monte Nuovo eruption in 1538 was the only eruptive event in the last ~4,500 years. However, it is the ongoing non-eruptive events in the form of bradyseisms that are posing more immediate challenges to residents and civil protection agencies. The causes of these bradyseisms are the subject of current debate. Though there is not a definite model to explain the ongoing unrest, this presentation will highlight one of the most recent, and curious, hypotheses: one involving mineral reactions.
Photo: 2014-10-29 Isabel’s first day on the NMI’s UCD Mineral Project. Photo by P Roycroft
Date and Time: Wednesday, 10 March 2021, between 19:00 and 20:00 via Zoom.
To Register: send an e-mail to irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com by the 10th March 2021 at 1pm.
A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

IGA Lecture - 3rd February 7 pm Dr. Robin Edwards (TCD) on "Using Saltmarshes as Geological Tide Gauges to Understand Common Era Sea-Level Change"
2021-02-03 19:00 - 20:00
We are delighted to announce our next lecture on Wednesday 3rd February at 7pm by Dr. Robin Edwards (TCD) on:
“Using Saltmarshes as Geological Tide Gauges to Understand Common Era Sea-Level Change”
Abstract: Global mean sea levels are rising faster today than at any point in the last 3,000 years. But local rates of relative sea-level change are quite variable, causing variations in local coastal responses. Saltmarshes are particularly sensitive indicators of sea-level change: the vertical distributions of their intertidal communities are intimately linked to tidal elevation. I will outline the use of saltmarshes as geological tide gauges, identify the patterns of Common Era sea-level change along the eastern coast of North America, and discuss what these patterns may tell us about the drivers of coastal change closer to home in the North Atlantic region.
Biography: Robin Edwards is Associate Professor in Earth Sciences at Trinity College Dublin. He graduated with a degree in Oceanography from Southampton (UK) before completing a PhD at Durham (UK) on reconstructing late Holocene sea level change. After a postdoc at the Free University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands), he returned to Durham as a lecturer before moving to Trinity in 2002 where he is now the course director of the undergraduate science programme in Geography and Geoscience. Robin specialises in reconstructing past sea levels by using salt marsh sediments and is currently co-Principal Investigator on the so-called “A4 Project” of Oceans, Climate and Atlantic Change, which is funded by Ireland’s Marine Institute and the European Regional Development Fund.
All are welcome! Feel free to share this flyer with your friends and family!
Just make sure to register by e-mailing irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com by February 3rd at 1pm. A Zoom link will be send to you on the day.

Joint Geological Associations Lecture, 20th January 2021: "An Irish El Dorado? Searching for the Source of Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Gold" by Dr Chris Standish, University of Southampton
2021-01-20 19:00 - 20:00
We are delighted to announce a joint CGA / IGA / GGA lecture this January 20th 2021!
“An Irish El Dorado? Searching for the Source of Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Gold”
by Dr Chris Standish, University of Southampton
Abstract: The Chalcolithic and Bronze Age of Britain and Ireland witnessed a marked growth in the deployment of rare and exotic materials. The first use of gold, a material that has fascinated and inspired humans for millennia, occurred during this period; it was used to produce an impressive array of objects, from neck ornaments and bracelets to cups and capes. Whilst today it is typically seen in an economic sense, its perceived value has varied in the past. Recognising its source location(s) and patterns of its procurement, trade and exchange, are essential if we are to ever gain an understanding of why this material was first considered valuable. However, despite the long-held belief that this source was located in Ireland, the absence of confirmed mine sites means our current understanding of prehistoric gold is lacking. Geochemical provenance studies offer a means by which the source(s) of metals can be traced, and here I will discuss both past and current attempts to source Britain and Ireland’s earliest gold. Probable source areas will be proposed, and the implications this has for the perceived value of gold in these early metalworking communities will be explored.

Biography: Dr Chris Standish is a geochemist and archaeologist based in the School of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Southampton. His research interests lie in the application of isotope geochemistry to the study of oceans, climate, and human societies of the past. This includes working on research projects that explore the procurement of metals, shed light on patterns of population mobility, quantify past rates of ocean acidification, and investigate how corals precipitate their skeletons. Specialising in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS), he has a keen interest in the development of novel geochemical techniques and the use of laser ablation systems for minimally destructive analyses at high spatial resolutions.

Date and Time: Wednesday 20 January 2021 (via Zoom); 19:00-20:00
To Register: All welcome! Just e-mail irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com before the 20th January 1pm. A Zoom link will be sent on the day to those who have registered.

Virtual Members' Night: 16th December 2020 at 7pm.
2020-12-16 19:00 - 20:00
Our final members’ event of the year will be on Wednesday 16th December at 7pm!! We will be having an Informal Zoom Members’ Night with a fun quiz organised by Frank Clissmann, the new IGA Quiz Master!
We can’t have our usual Christmas Members’ Night, this is the closest we can get at the moment! So grab some mince pies and a glass of mulled wine to try and make the evening special! Christmas hats encouraged!!
Don’t forget to email us at irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com to register!

IGA ZOOM LECTURE: Diamonds and What They Can Tell Us About the Deep Earth By Dr Ekaterina ‘Kate’ Kiseeva (UCC)
2020-12-02 19:00 - 20:00
IGA ZOOM LECTURE
Diamonds and What They Can Tell Us About the Deep Earth
By Dr Ekaterina ‘Kate’ Kiseeva (UCC)
Abstract: Diamonds are thought to form in the upper mantle and in the mantle transition zone (410–660 km), and they often incorporate small pieces of surrounding material when they form. These inclusions provide a unique window into the deep mantle, giving researchers much-needed information about the composition of our planet, as well as on the processes which took places millions, even billions, of years ago. In this talk, I will give an overview of deep diamonds and their inclusions: how these diamonds form, what minerals they bring, what they tell us about the composition of the deep mantle, and how they relate to the deep carbon cycle. Additionally, I will give a short overview about the history of diamond discovery throughout the world, including the only diamond ever discovered on the island of Ireland.
Dr. Kate Kiseeva is a lecturer in Geochemistry at the University College Cork (UCC). She obtained her undergraduate degree (2007) in petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry from the State Mining Institute, Saint-Petersburg, Russia. In 2012 she received her PhD in experimental petrology from the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. For the following 6 years she worked as a postdoctoral researcher and as a NERC independent fellow at the University of Oxford, UK. Kate’s main research interests include the deep carbon cycle, phase transitions in the deep mantle, and the oxidation state of the mantle transition zone. To address these topics, she uses a combination of high-pressure and high-temperature experimental techniques on natural samples, such as mantle xenoliths and inclusions in diamonds.
When: Wednesday 2nd December, 7pm – 8pm
Where: Online via Zoom
E-mail: irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com to register.
Zoom Details will be emailed on the day of the event. All Welcome!

IGA ZOOM LECTURE: The Galápagos Archipelago - A Natural Laboratory for Understanding Sub-Volcanic Processes By Dr Michael J. Stock Assistant Professor in Geochemistry, TCD
2020-11-25 19:00 - 20:00
IGA ZOOM LECTURE
The Galápagos Archipelago: A Natural Laboratory for Understanding Sub-Volcanic Processes
By Prof. Michael J. Stock
Assistant Professor in Geochemistry, Trinity College Dublin

Abstract: The Galápagos Archipelago is one of the most volcanically active regions on Earth, with eruptions typically occurring every 2–3 years. Each island is made up of one or more volcanoes, which are fed by compositionally diverse magmas and can be easily monitored using satellite techniques. These features make the islands a unique “natural laboratory” for understanding the structure and processes operating within sub-volcanic magma plumbing systems. However, due to their remote location and strict permitting requirements, there has been comparatively little geological research in Galápagos, relative to regions with similar volcanic activity (such as Iceland and Hawaii). Our knowledge about magmatic systems in the archipelago remains extremely limited.
In this presentation, I’ll review our understanding of Galápagos geology, starting with Darwin (who was secretly a geologist…) and ending with the on-going work of an international research team currently applying state-of-the-art analytical techniques to understand the processes operating beneath the different volcanoes. I’ll particularly focus on an expedition which I led to sample recent lava flows in 2017, highlighting the challenges of working in such a remote environment. I’ll show how samples collected on this expedition have been used to aid in interpreting geophysical data at the Earth’s surface, and how detailed petrographic and geochemical interrogation of these samples revealed the presence of hidden “explosive” magmas beneath volcanoes which have produced monotonous basaltic lava eruptions for thousands of years. These findings have not only transformed our understanding of Galápagos volcanoes but also how eruptions are triggered globally. They will facilitate better interpretation of volcano monitoring data in the future, which will greatly improve wildlife and civil protection.
Prof. Mike Stock is an igneous petrologist, whose research is focussed on developing novel petrological and geochemical techniques to understand the architecture and dynamics of magmatic systems. He completed his PhD at the University of Oxford, investigating how volcanic apatite crystals can be used to understand the behaviour of magmatic volatiles, before holding the Charles Darwin Junior Research Fellowship at Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, where he began integrating petrological and geophysical datasets to understand sub-volcanic processes in the Galápagos Archipelago. Mike moved to Trinity College Dublin as an Assistant Professor in Geochemistry in September 2019, establishing a new igneous petrology research group and developing an interest in the Palaeogene volcanics of Co. Louth and Northern Ireland. Alongside his igneous petrology research, Mike is the Director of the Earth Surface Research Laboratory – a new national geochemical research facility, funded by the Geological Survey of Ireland and responsible for collecting geochemical data for the Tellus Survey.
When: Wednesday 25th November, 7pm-8pm
Where: Online via Zoom
E-mail irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com to register.
Zoom Details will be emailed on the day of the event. All Welcome!
Photo credit: ABCNews

ZOOM Series of Lectures: “Rocks Used by Our Ancestors” by Prof. Ian Sanders (Fellow Emeritus, TCD)
2020-11-10 19:00 - 2020-12-01 20:00
ZOOM Series of Lectures
“Rocks Used by Our Ancestors” by Prof. Ian Sanders (Fellow Emeritus, TCD)

WEEKLYS ON TUESDAYS
(10th, 17th, 24th November and 1st December 2020)

In collaboration with the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland

The Irish Geological Association has partnered with the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) to organise this short course of four lectures on the topic of “Rocks Used by Our Ancestors”. Many thanks to Prof. Ian Sanders for putting so much time into preparing for this course, which will be of interest to both beginners and as a refresher for more experienced geologists. The inclusion of archaeology will definitely give us all a different perspective on the subject.
This series of four lectures aims to show how the stone materials used in the artefacts, monuments and buildings of antiquity can be identified, and to explain in non-technical language the geological background to the formation of those stone materials.
IAI Learning Outcomes
Having completed the course, you will be able to:

Describe the appearance and state possible distinguishing features of examples of the following kinds of rock. Sandstone, mudstone, shale, limestone, conglomerate, gypsum, flint, chert, vein quartz, basalt, dolerite, gabbro, andesite, granite, obsidian, tuff, slate, schist, porcellanite, quartzite, marble, soapstone.
Outline the mode of formation of the above rocks and show in simple diagrams (a) the paths followed by rocks as they are changed from one kind to another by processes on and beneath the surface, and (b) how some igneous and metamorphic rocks have origins linked to plate boundaries.
Name the geological eras and periods, state in millions of years the time elapsed since the formation of the solar system and of the 3 eras, and state the principles of measuring the age of granite by the uranium-lead method.
State how information is depicted on the geological bedrock map of Ireland, and outline the main stages in Ireland’s geological history, mentioning how its topographic elevation, plate tectonic setting and latitude changed through time.

Biography
Ian Sanders has been in the Department of Geology at Trinity College since 1971, following his BA and PhD studies at Cambridge University. His current research is focused on the early years of the Solar System inferred from meteorites. His teaching interests include the promotion of geology in schools through the free distribution of rock samples.
Dates: 7 to 8 pm, weekly on TUESDAYS (10th, 17th, 24th November and 1st December 2020).
REGISTRATION FOR IGA MEMBERS ONLY: please register for the course by e-mailing irishgeologicalassociation@gmail.com,
The Zoom link will be sent to those registered on the day.
(Non IGA members can join for 2021 if they wish to attend the lectures!).

Dr Matthew Parkes: An Appreciation on Behalf of the Irish Geological Association, and a Personal Recollection by Patrick Roycroft
2020-10-31 00:00 - 23:59
An Appreciation from the Irish Geological Association
By Patrick Roycroft

Dr Matthew Parkes, exceptional Senior Curator of the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History (NMINH), passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on 23 October 2020. It is an honour to write a short tribute on behalf of the Irish Geological Association (IGA).

Matthew Parkes leading a field trip and pointing out a feature of interest to two fascinated participants. Photo: Alan O’Connor.

After Matthew completed his PhD in biostratigraphy and palaeontology at the National University of Ireland, Galway in 1990, he became a strong advocate of Ireland’s geological heritage. Over the ensuing decades, he developed an astonishing breadth of knowledge on Ireland’s geology and on what makes it special. And he was passionate about this. However, what became arguably more important for him was the need to get the message across that our geological heritage mattered. On this front, he was always ready to convince not only fellow geologists but, even more importantly, the general public. Securing a position in the National Museum of Ireland in 2005 allowed him to do this: and he loved that. He wrote many popular geology books on the geological heritage of local or county areas; he wrote many geological heritage reports for county councils the length and breadth of Ireland. He gave public lectures whenever he could, including, of course, during the national festival that is Heritage Week at the end of every August. And he would go out of his way to encourage youngsters.
As part of that ethos, Matthew gave of his time generously and selflessly to the Irish Geological Association: he was well aware that we have a membership that includes amateurs and the interested public. Despite the fact that Matthew was on seemingly countless committees and editorial boards, as well as having a phenomenal workload at the NMINH itself, if the IGA asked him to do an event for them he would willingly do it. And we were always eternally thankful. He gave us lectures, he organised workshops [His workshop on amber, using NMINH specimens, was always oversubscribed], he took us on field trips (both day trips and weekend ones), and gave us tours behind the scenes at the National Museum of Ireland. He was there as a mentor, giving sage advice on how best to organise an outreach event. And he was always available whenever a member had a palaeontology mystery to solve. Members of the Irish Geological Association loved Matthew because of his warmth, his enthusiasm, his phenomenal generosity of spirit, his fundamentally gentle nature, and his unflustered patience in explaining anything. Amateurs, in particular, always felt they could ask him a question. He would never, ever, put anyone down. He was both very knowledgeable and totally approachable.
Matthew had one very special connection with the IGA. He was a vital part of saving the IGA Archive, that formerly homeless trove of irreplaceable documentation (and strange ephemera) that covers the span of the IGA’s existence, telling its history. The archive has now found a permanent home with the NMINH in large part thanks to Matthew giving the ‘green light’ that the museum could hold it for posterity, making the IGA Archive a public part of Ireland’s history-of-geology heritage. It was Matthew who trained IGA volunteers in the art of document preservation, and he did everything possible from the museum’s side to make sure that the IGA had all it needed when working to organise and preserve the archive. Typical of the man, he would even give up some of his rare ‘free’ weekends to help us. We will never forget that.
The IGA expresses its deepest condolences to Matthew’s wife, Michelle, and to all the Davern and Parkes families. Matthew will be remembered with huge affection and esteem by the IGA.
For more on Matthew’s life and career, please read https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/News/Matthew-Alastair-Parkes?fbclid=IwAR1Y-20Hq8nLSUlzjPb0PQHk2hxcawNXjzQ0QEZRcQa2hS9yrR21PN_dmrk .
For expressions of condolence, please see https://rip.ie/cb.php?dn=437559 .

A Personal Recollection in Seven Photographs
By Patrick Roycroft

I can say, with some certainty, that a great deal of what I achieved geologically from 2012 to 2020 would barely have been possible without Matthew Parkes.
I offer here a few reminisces about Matthew through a selection of photos taken during the time I was working with him over the last 8 years at the museum (though I had first met him back in the 1990s). It is worth noting that Matthew did not generally like having his picture taken – I have dozens of unusable photos where he dodges out of shot at the last second, turns away at the crucial moment, or puts his hands over his face! This makes the photos I have of him all the more precious. I will miss his phenomenal helpfulness, gentle manner, and total integrity.

1. Matthew Parkes, 23 June 2014, at UCD loading up drawers of minerals from the UCD mineral collection into a Geological Survey of Ireland van. Photo: Patrick Roycroft.

I was searching for a ‘lost’ cotterite in the UCD mineral collection in late 2012. The collection was being stored in a leaky shipping container outside UCD’s geology department, and I noted that here was a wonderful, and huge, historic collection of minerals in dire need of rescue. I contacted Matthew about saving it, and he jumped at the opportunity. He suggested that we could both work to save it if I could get a Heritage Council grant. I applied, and I got one. This set in motion a really wonderful working relationship for the next 8 years … including my being awarded a second Heritage Council grant! I remember he helped me to submit that second one at his own computer in the Beggar’s Bush stores with literally minutes to spare. The picture above is the day we finally got to start moving the collection from UCD to the National Museum of Ireland’s stores at Beggar’s Bush. Matthew worked hard the whole day, helping me shift the many dozens of boxes of minerals. If I’d done this on my own, I’d probably still be doing it. He would always help, even if it meant hard physical labour.

2. Matthew Parkes, 1 August 2014, at the National Museum of Ireland’s Collections Resource Centre in Swords (Fingal, north County Dublin).

Matthew not only hauled UCD minerals around. He also carried an enormous quantity of ‘stuff’ between, and within, the different museum buildings scattered around County Dublin. The above is the Collections Resource Centre in Swords, and this is another ‘typical’ Matthew shot. I realised, while watching him, that being a museum curator required the ability to ‘move stuff around’. And this can sometimes hurt the back. Matthew did sometimes hurt his back, but he rarely said anything about it. He took measures to remedy any damage, but he never made a big deal about it.

3. Matthew Parkes, Patrick Roycroft, Nigel Monaghan, 14 August 2014, in the ‘UCD minerals room’ in Beggar’s Bush stores. Photo: Kim Chandler.

This is one of my favourite photos of Matthew. It manages to capture him smiling and looking at the camera. This was a most happy occasion: the final layout plan and the panel texts for my first public exhibition. Matthew and Nigel had both given the green light for me to use one of the display cabinets in the iconic National Museum of Ireland – Natural History on Merrion Street (‘the Dead Zoo’) to tell the essence of the story of the UCD mineral collection [Why it needed rescuing and what treasures it contained]. Matthew was instrumental in this because he organised the logistics to make it happen.

4. Matthew Parkes, 22 August 2014, preparing one of the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History’s historic display cabinets into which would go my UCD mineral exhibit. Photo: Patrick Roycroft.

Matthew here is helping to take out the previous material in this display case and to replace it with my UCD minerals display. I was quite excited at this happening – it is not every day that one gets an exhibition (the size is irrelevant) in so wonderful a public setting. I thanked Matthew for this opportunity, and will always be grateful to him for doing the behind-the-scenes work to make this a reality: even a seemingly simple public display requires a lot of background work.

5. Matthew Parkes, Mary-Jane Fitzsimons, Patrick Roycroft, Siobhan Pierce, 1 September 2014, outside the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology on Kildare Street (Dublin). Photo: Kim Chandler.

The above photo is when Matthew drove me down to the main archaeology museum where a box of UCD minerals was to be collected after I had used them as part of a public lecture I had given on behalf of the museum during Heritage Week 2014. The two ladies are/were part of the museum’s Education Department. I never stopped being impressed at Matthew’s generosity of spirit: he had a million other things to do, but he would always take a few hours out to help me. And, because there was a space in his car, he also gave the opportunity that day for museum volunteer Kim Chandler to come along and see more of the museum behind-the-scenes.

6. Matthew and a group of volunteers and museum staff, 28 July 2015, at a birthday party organised for me in the coffee room at the museum’s Beggar’s Bush stores. Photo: Patrick Roycroft.

No matter how busy everyone was, if a party needed to be organised, a party would be organised. Co-conspirators Nigel Monaghan and Matthew Parkes would expertly sequester the requisite materials (biscuits, sweets, savoury snacks, cake, and Prosecco) into the building in readiness for the surprise. On this occasion, the surprise was for my 50th birthday … and I was absolutely delighted. Not only that, but mineral volunteer Isabel O’Brien (far left, just in shot) had made a strawberry and cream cake (note the candles)! The happy group includes (left to right): Isabel O’Brien, Maria Cullen, Matthew Parkes, Alan O’Connor, Mark Holmes, and Leona McArdle (née Leonard).

7. Matthew and a group of museum staff and associates, December 2018, at the annual Natural History section Christmas Party, held that year at the School House Bar and Hotel (Beggar’s Bush). Photo: Antoinette Madden.

Matthew and some of the ‘Natural History Gang’ (current and former) looking suitably refreshed at the 2018 Christmas party: left to right – Patrick Roycroft, Mark Holmes, Jim O’Connor, Paolo Viscardi, Nigel Monaghan, Matthew Parkes. This photo is somewhat more typical of Matthew – you can almost see the “Oh God, not another photo” look. This was in 2018, and I was still working, when I could, on the UCD minerals (long after both my Heritage Council grants were over) and had benefited from Matthew’s help in publishing a few papers in the Irish Journal of Earth Sciences.
I remember going in to the Beggar’s Bush stores one day around this time with a bottle of wine in my rucksack. I went up to Matthew’s office and said, “Matthew, as a small token for all that you’ve done for me, I’d like to give you a good bottle of wine.” In typical fashion, he brushed off all the selfless work he had done for me, saying it was nothing, all part of his job, don’t worry about it, and he could not possibly accept the wine. So, I gave it to him anyway. But that’s the sort of person he was. And that’s why I and all who knew him loved Matthew. The really amazing thing is that my memorable association with Matthew is one that could be replicated through similar stories from dozens of other individuals and organisations. His own very modest disposition belied the enormous contribution he made to Irish geology and the impact he had on Irish geologists. Matthew, you were a joy to know.
