Fossil hunting in Ireland

starn

Portmarnock beach is excellent for finding fossils from the Caronifourous period Ive found excellent examples of Echinoids, Crinoids, Colonial Coral, Bryzoans and Braciopods. Can anyone recommend anywhere else where fossils can be easily found

Galvasean

Good call on Portmarnock beach. I actually live up the road from there.

Riamfada

Im an archaeologist and working up in the wicklow mountains I found some of the same at a significant height above sea level.

mobby

Hook Head in Wexford, if you do the cliff walk towards Slade lots of fossils to be found in the rocks about 500m from the lighthouse.

Duff

Sorry for the n00b question but this is something I have always wonderd..How come there are no actual dinosaur fossils in Ireland when there are loads in UK? Were we not all part of the same land mass millions of years ago?..Surely there should be fossils in Ireland aswell if we are the same age as the rest of europe?

Galvasean

Duff wrote: »

Sorry for the n00b question but this is something I have always wonderd..How come there are no actual dinosaur fossils in Ireland when there are loads in UK? Were we not all part of the same land mass millions of years ago?..Surely there should be fossils in Ireland aswell if we are the same age as the rest of europe?

For starters no one is really looking. Although partial remains of a scelidosaur and two potential theropods have been found here.

Duff

Galvasean wrote: »

For starters no one is really looking. Although partial remains of a scelidosaur and two potential theropods have been found here.

Any links to info on them?..What theropods were they?

Wibbs

It's mostly down to the lack of exposed strata of the right time period that might contain dinosaurs. The sedimentary rocks here are mostly palaeozoic, with a majority being of carboniferous origin. Limestone coal etc. I am surprised there haven't been more discoveries of note in those time periods though. There is some of the right stuff dinosaur wise around Lough Neagh up north, cretaceous AFAIR. There could be more elsewhere undiscovered. I noticed a load of flint nodules on beaches around wexford which may come from later strata, but it may be under the Irish sea.

Galvasean

Duff wrote: »

Any links to info on them?..What theropods were they?

Alas, I have been unable to find any data online. As far as I remember they were found up north (as Wibbs mentioned).

Quint

I found loads around Lough Sheelin on the south west shore of the Derrysheridan Pensinula. Loads exposed or semi exposed in rock, some so exposed you could pick them off.

Duff

Dino fossils?

Wibbs

Around sheelin I would have said carboniferous limestone. Sheelin has/had some of the best wild lake trout fishing in Europe which among other things was down to the limestone. The ph allows for bigger invertebrates, which in turn means bigger trout that eat them. Fishing there in the past I saw and collected a few fossils like Quint mentions.

Canis_major

There was a vert palaeo conference in the national museum last week no less, part of which was some (limited) discussion of irish vert fossils. Basically as far as i remember all thats been found are amphibians/ small reptiles in the Jarrow formation near Castlecomer and a sauropod femur(maybe?) in the belfast area along with some dino footprints in a similar locality.
Main problems are lack of access to the limited outcrops and simply no-one looking for bones really.
Theres a world of invert palaeo around Ireland, plenty of corals around Howth head if thats of interest. The GSI should have some publications on the topic

0utpost31

mobby wrote: »

Hook Head in Wexford, if you do the cliff walk towards Slade lots of fossils to be found in the rocks about 500m from the lighthouse.

As far as I know that is a no-hammer zone. You can take home any loose fossils but you musn't forcibly remove them from the rocks. I know that there is nothing stopping you from blasting all the fossils out of the rocks and taking them home but have some respect for geologists or palaeontologists that may not have found them yet. They should be left for others to see. There are some very well preserved bryozoa and crinoids there, calyxes still attatched to the stem, but not the best on hook head.

Have you ever been to Booley Bay? Ediacara fossils abound in this area.... also a not-allowed-smash-and-bring-home area. Some of the Ediacaran fossils are as big as dinner plates...

Mal-Adjusted

Around the west of Lougd Derg is quite good for Sponges, petrified wood, Bivalves and Brachiopods, as well as the odd Bryozoan (I think)

fguihen

are there any fossil hunting groups in Dublin? I would like to get into folssil hunting and gain some skill, but dont know where to start.

maryo'dee

I was on portmarnock strand yesterday but i didn't find anything.
I searched among the stones and rocks on the north end of the beach beside the toilets for a bit.
Am i missing something here?:rolleyes:

Wibbs

When I was into this many moons ago, I found portmarnock not too great TBH. The fossils weren't the most obvious and quite spread out. Certainly compared to other sites.

I remember hook head being great for them. Got a fair few there. Used a hammer too, but this was back in the day and the hammer only loosened ones pretty close to falling soon anyway. Hey I was 13/14 so digging was well out of the question.:D I never disturbed any really in situ. My guideline was that if a swift kick wouldn't dislodge it then I wouldn't go at it with a hammer.

Another good place was easkey in the west of ireland. Serious beauties I got there. At the point where the river runs into the sea there's a fossil coral reef laid out and easily seen in the sea polished rocks. Popular place among surfers now I gather.

Outpost31 wrote:

Have you ever been to Booley Bay? Ediacara fossils abound in this area

Really precambrian/cambrian stuff? Cool Never knew they were there.

Galvasean

I live near Portmarnock beach and have to admit (like Wibbs said) it's not the best. Everything gets scattered due to the violent and constant nature of the tide/waves there. Finding anything substantial is a case of sheer luck (moreso than usual).

dlofnep

Lots of beaches around my way - What exactly should I be looking out for?

0utpost31

Anyone know what type of varnish I can use on fossils? I have a few good one and I think a good coat of varnish would bring out the colours & detail.

starn

I have a map somewhere, with the locations and fossil types found in Portmarnock from when I was doing some feild work there. If I can can find it. Ill scan it and PM it to anyone who wants it.

maryo'dee

starn wrote: »

I have a map somewhere, with the locations and fossil types found in Portmarnock from when I was doing some feild work there. If I can can find it. Ill scan it and PM it to anyone who wants it.

I would be greatful if you could send it to me thanks starn.

starn

Had a very uneventful day in Louch Sheelin today. Spent a lot of time looking for a way on to the peninsula. Found no exsposed strata there, or anywhere else around the lake for that matter. With the exception of a limestone quarry which was closed and had high fences and big gates with even bigger locks. The day was a absolute disaster. Had it not been for 4WD I think Id still be stuck in the mud out there, So where should I of been looking :mad:


Mary- Im still looking for that map. But when I find it Ill scan it and send it to you:)

maryo'dee

ok thanks
seems like fossil hunting is harder than expected eh.

Gnar

Hi everyone , im looking for informaion for my nephw he is eight and obsessed with fossils.Im an archaeologist by trade but i would not know where to start with him??

Are there any young fossil hunter clubs in Ireland?
He lives in waterford and i know of hook head what is the etiqutte there?Finally i want to get him a "fossil collecting kit" for christmas, he is only 8 so nothing too serious or professional, any suggestions?

Galvasean

Gnar wrote: »

Hi everyone , im looking for informaion for my nephw he is eight and obsessed with fossils.Im an archaeologist by trade but i would not know where to start with him??

Are there any young fossil hunter clubs in Ireland?
He lives in waterford and i know of hook head what is the etiqutte there?Finally i want to get him a "fossil collecting kit" for christmas, he is only 8 so nothing too serious or professional, any suggestions?

Well if he's only eight he might enjoy one of those 'dig-a-dino' sets which can be got in most toy shops / art and hobby shops.

Having trouble finding any info on Irish fossil clubs/societies in Ireland. I'll let you know if I fin something.

edit:
Here's a thread with some freebies you can send away for.
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055382276

memickser

Hi There I am also interested in fosil hunting if you find any groups or clubs could you let me know thanks.

Linguo

fguihen wrote: »

are there any fossil hunting groups in Dublin? I would like to get into folssil hunting and gain some skill, but dont know where to start.

Me too, my bf and I would love a go! Anything around?

Manuk

Am based in Dublin and would definitely be interested in something like that if it exists.

The Paws

What about Cork area??

Galvasean

Did some rummaging and found a great post in another thread taht you guys might find useful:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57322757&postcount=4

The Paws

Thanks Galvasean,

I just saw my message in my PM. Thanks again!

mark302

Portmarnock beach is quite long, can you tell me the best spots along the beach to look? Went walking there last weekend and all i found was a nice large crab claw (not fossilized) lol

stravinsky

There are a lot of fossils embedded in the rock at Low Rock, Malahide (between Portmarnock and Malahide, near the bathing hut). I'm no expert, and I never found anything removable.

Photograph here: http://www.malahidelive.ie/forum/132/fossils-low-rock-malahide

Any help identifying would be appreciated.

Previously (a year or more ago) I saw a lot of oval-ish fossils, an inch or two wide, all the same distinctive shape. No phot unfortunately. Don't find them now. Maybe I'm looking in a different place, or maybe someone has cut them out, which would be a shame.

Wibbs

Looks like a brachiopod. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PlatystrophiaOrdovician.jpg The rock there is very tough. The fossils can be ok, but not great preservation IIRC.

stravinsky

Thanks Wibbs,
Yeah, these fossils are on the exposed beach so subject to a regular drenching which must take its toll over the millenia.

Mal-Adjusted

Wibbs wrote: »

Looks like a brachiopod. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PlatystrophiaOrdovician.jpg The rock there is very tough. The fossils can be ok, but not great preservation IIRC.

The limestone rocks around east clare are good for brachiopods!

rccaulfield

Is Balbriggan known for good fossil hunting? From the beach toward bremore where they are going to build Dublin Port has alot of exposed and loose rock. How can i find out whether its legal to hammer down there?

Galvasean

I would imagine writing to the local County Council. I think they are under Fingal County Council's juristiction.

jimmyhamster

Hi
I wonder if you guys could help
I purchased a derelict cottage in Roscommon last year and immediately
noticed what looked like fossils lying around the back garden.
I now am doing some demolition work and have noticed that the stones I am taking down from the walls also have these fossils.I am not very well versed in identifying what I am looking at but they look like tubes of various sizes along with other stuff with no real description.The local farmer seems uninterested in my finds but he said to me that I should uncover the mound on his land and have a look.I couldn't wait so as soon as he headed off I started to pull back the grass and moss from the mound and underneath is a huge piece of rock maybe
6to 8foot across and about 4 foot out of the ground its full of uniformed holes and creases and has what look like tree limbs or bones coming out from within
I thought it may be a tree stump which has been fossilized
is it normal to find this amount of fossils in rural Ireland especially in a 300 year old house wall

rccaulfield

rccaulfield wrote: »

Is Balbriggan known for good fossil hunting? From the beach toward bremore where they are going to build Dublin Port has alot of exposed and loose rock. How can i find out whether its legal to hammer down there?

Nope :D all the rocks there are volcanic in nature(not sedimentary so only what the sea washes up really! Although theres exposed earth banks that run for miles that may have good recent stuff in there stretching down the the Bremore passage graves!

jimmyhamster wrote: »

Hi
I wonder if you guys could help
I purchased a derelict cottage in Roscommon last year and immediately
noticed what looked like fossils lying around the back garden.
I now am doing some demolition work and have noticed that the stones I am taking down from the walls also have these fossils.I am not very well versed in identifying what I am looking at but they look like tubes of various sizes along with other stuff with no real description.The local farmer seems uninterested in my finds but he said to me that I should uncover the mound on his land and have a look.I couldn't wait so as soon as he headed off I started to pull back the grass and moss from the mound and underneath is a huge piece of rock maybe
6to 8foot across and about 4 foot out of the ground its full of uniformed holes and creases and has what look like tree limbs or bones coming out from within
I thought it may be a tree stump which has been fossilized
is it normal to find this amount of fossils in rural Ireland especially in a 300 year old house wall

Wow what happened with this?

Alvin T. Grey

First and formost, know your rocks:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/53891478/Geology-of-Ireland

dolano

Steedagh Point in Sligo , a huge amount of fossils to be found on the rocks there

Step23

There are no formal fossil collecting groups in Ireland, which is a shame (this also applies to minerals), considering there are loads of small collecting groups and regular trading fairs/shows in England it really puts Ireland to shame in this regard.

However, for those interested in learning more about geology and fossils I would strongly advise joining the Irish Geological Assocation.
http://www.geology.ie/

Or send me a PM if you want any futher information on collecting locations in Leinster.

Guyett

Portmarnock has a lot of fossils.
In the area around the martello tower I have seen Crinoids, bryzoa, smaller brachiopods and even a shark tooth
Moving towards Malahide I found more crinoids, solitary corals, more brachiopods (some encrusted with colonial corals.
I also saw a section of an Orthoconic Nautaloid.

I found a large amount of gastropods alongside colonial corals.

Some overturned corals further, evidence of bioturbation.

in the area near robswall there are a load of what look like oysters that cemented to the bed that have corals beside them.

steddyeddy

Fossil hunting In Ireland will really pay off when/if they discover neanderthal or some earlier hominid here. That would be cool!

Wibbs

For that S, I say look in the extreme south west. Cork, Kerry that sort of area. Where the ice didn't do it's worst.

Galvasean

A neanderthal? In Ireland? Oh Wibbs, dont you know that's impossible! Why? because the man said so, that's why! :pac:

Step23

steddyeddy wrote: »

Fossil hunting In Ireland will really pay off when/if they discover neanderthal or some earlier hominid here. That would be cool!

The only neanderthals in Ireland are the ones running the country

upandover

Hi, Could anyone advise on whether an 8 year old and her non-palaeontologist dad would be able to hunt fossils in the Dublin area with any success? The last thing I want to do is kill her interest by spending a day finding nothing. Any suggestions very welcome.