OPEN UNIVERSITY GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Ireland Branch Newsletter December 2001

It has been quite a while since the last Newsletter (this is the fifth Newsletter of 2001). However, as a result of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, which we have almost forgotten at this stage, there has been little enough happening on the geological scene. In 2002, on the other hand, we intend to provide a full and interesting programme of events for you. As you see (above) John Leahy has already been working away on your behalf.

The best geologists are those who have seen the most rocks, so make a resolution for the New Year to get out there in 2002 and join as many field excursions as you can..............and don't forget the Branch AGM - as this is where you can make a difference with your input both during and after the meeting.

I hope all went well with the exams, and that you can now enjoy the seasonal break. Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Susan Pyne

John Leahy adds: Good luck to anyone waiting on results, and a Merry Christmas to you all.

Press Cutting

Old Irish maps to be digitised and made available to general public

A team of geologists has started a project to digitise thousands of old maps and surveys, more than 150 years after the first geological survey of Ireland began. The team from the Geological Survey of Ireland wants to scan its entire collection of maps and documents using powerful digital scanning technology. Ultimately, the researchers hope to create a searchable database of the scanned material and make it available to the public on the internet. The project has already begun and involves the digital scanning of about 1,600 field sheets, which make up the first geological survey of Ireland, conducted between 1845 and 1887.

The original maps were needed urgently earlier this year during the foot and mouth outbreak, when they were used to locate an appropriate site to bury animal carcases.

The first stage of the project to scan the field maps will take just a matter of months and IR£357,500 [€453,930] in funding has been made available from the Information Society Fund this year. The Irish Times 10/8/01

OUGS Field Trip to Loughshinny, North Co. Dublin

Monday 9th July 2001

The field trip was run as part of the OUGS Symposium programme held in Dublin City University. It was led by Dr. Ian Somerville of University College Dublin. There was a good attendance of about forty people from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the United States. A truly international field.

Loughshinny is a picturesque fishing hamlet tucked away on the coast between Rush and Skerries. The morning was bright and sunny, an unusual combination, in this mediocre summer to date and with the prospect of a cracking field trip we made our way across the beach in Loughshinny Bay to our first stop.

The cliff facing north was a stunning scene of folded beds showing extreme deformation. People may remember the photographs that were used to promote Ireland as the Symposium destination when it was held in Aberdeen. This was the real thing in full view. The beds form part of the Loughshinny Formation (Lower Carboniferous c. 330-350 Ma) and consist of well-bedded grey limestones interbedded with black shales. The folding occurred later, at the end of the Carboniferous during the Hercynian Orogeny (c.290 Ma ago). The axial planes of the folds (anticlines and synclines) tilt to the south, with overturned northern limbs. As we stuck our noses into to the cliff face we spotted some fossils, crinoids, bivalves and corals, in some of the beds.

Conscious of the need to keep ahead of the tide, we traversed back across the beach and took the cliff-top path and headed north. On the way we could look down onto the foreshore where the folding had resulted in clearly discernible whale-back ridges.

Our next major stop was The Coppermine Fault. A small bay developed here as a result of the weakness induced by the fault. The beds dipping south on the northern limb contain large vugs (cavities) and we saw well-formed quartz crystals within. As the Coppermine suggests, copper minerals are found in this area and an adit mine in the adjoining field was worked in the last century. Green malachite was evident in some of the quartz but I did not see any evidence of the other copper mineral, azurite found here.

As we made our way north of the fault zone, the raingear and sweaters were coming off as the Sun got higher in he sky. I am not making this up, it was the best day of the summer.

We were now traversing the massively bedded limestones of the Drumanagh Member of the Loughshinny Formation. The beds, over 5m thick, are coarse-grained, fossiliferous breccias which have been dolomitized. There was an abundance of large brachiopods and crinoids. Further north, the dolomitized limestones continue and you can see banded quartz-filled vugs, known as zebra quartz.

The next area of interest was an inlier of argillaceous limestone with an abundance of Gigantoproductus brachiopod shells. Further north, the limestone showed disturbed bedding and slumping and there are large blocks and boulders of massive pale-grey mud-mound facies with laminar spar-filled cavities.

Only some of the party made a very quick trip to the final stop on the northward traverse, to the Smugglers Cave. The roof of the cave is made of a conglomerate of greywacke pebbles and vein quartz. In the lower part of the conglomerate there are some limestone pebbles but above that the rocks are from a continental deposit probably formed in a fluvial channel.

We quickly made our way back to the car park at the harbour for a quick lunch, followed by a dash to Portrane for the next leg of the field trip. I would like to offer a word of thanks to Dr. Somerville for a really enjoyable and informative morning. The geology was spectacular and this was further enhanced by the comprehensive and well-produced field notes distributed by Dr. Somerville.

Michael Andrews

Society Notices

Report on OUGS Annual General Meeting Saturday 17th November 2001

The AGM weekend went very well, due mainly to the efforts of Glynnis, Carol and Don. The venue I thought was surprisingly good and easy to get to.

At the national committee meeting on the morning of the AGM in Derby the National Treasurer Jane Michael announced that she intended to open a Euro account to enable members outside the UK to pay their fees without having to purchase Sterling drafts, this is surely a big step forward and will I hope assist in retaining members as people will no longer have the hassle they had in the past.

Everyone at the AGM who had attended Symposium were still complimenting us on the weekend, and Dave Maddocks the outgoing events officer, now Chairman, sang the praises of the organizing committee during his report to the AGM.

John Leahy

In addition John Leahy was elected deputy Rep to Societies Standing Committee, well done John.

The Branch AGM will take place on 27th Jan at 11.00am in the Museum Building, Trinity College, Dublin and will be followed by a walk with Patrick Wise-Jackson to look at the Building Stones of Dublin. Tea/Coffee will be available from 10.30.

Agenda

Apologies

Minutes of last years AGM

Matters Arising

Officers Reports

Election of Officers

A.O.B

Branch Library

There have been many additions to the Branch library. For details, or to borrow a book or map, contact John Leahy.

Branch Committee

Organiser: John Leahy,

Treasurer: Phyllis Turkington,

Newsletter editor: Susan Pyne,

Members: Mary Cromey, John Deykin, Bettie Higgs, Carol Kean, Eleanor Macartney, Máire O'Brien