FOSSIL BEACHES OF CO. SLIGO: Streedagh Point and at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell BEAUTIFUL IRELAND: 299.0 million years ago Ireland was under water if one was to visit the beautiful beaches around the west coast of Co.Sligo, you can walk along Fossil beaches. Hundreds of fossils lie along them, you can pick them up and look for all different kinds, some of them are whale bones frozen in time into the different kinds of rock. A fascinating area to visit if you ever get the chance. Carboniferous Period Fossils The fossils found in limestone rocks along the Sligo coastline are well known to many people. Those in rocks at Streedagh Point and at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell are especially impressive and as a consequence of their importance are protected sites. Not all fossils are in limestone and there are other kinds in siltstone and shale, and some sandstone has trace fossils where animals have left their tracks and burrows. Almost all of these fossils are in Carboniferous rocks dating from 359 to 299 Ma ago. A selection of photographs are shown below. Most remain unidentified and if names are put to them then it has to be said that these have not yet been checked by an expert so caution is required in quoting from this site.A selection of photographs are shown below. Most remain unidentified and if names are put to them then it has to be said that these have not yet been checked by an expert so caution is required in quoting from this site. Image 1:Siphonophyllia (Caninia) coral in Glencar Limestone Formation (Namurian, Carboniferous) at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell, Co. Sligo. It is the abundance of this large fossil coral in the rocks has given rise to the place name ‘Serpent’s Rock’. Image 2: Siphonophyllia (Caninia) coral in Glencar Limestone Formation (Namurian, Carboniferous) at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell, Co. Sligo Image 3: Siphonophyllia (Caninia) coral in Glencar Limestone Formation (Namurian, Carboniferous) at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell, Co. Sligo Image 4: Lithostrotion coral in Glencar Limestone Formation (Namurian, Carboniferous) at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell, Co. Sligo Image 5: Probable snail (Straparolius ?) in Glencar Limestone Formation (Namurian, Carboniferous) at Serpent’s Rock, Ballyconnell, Co. Sligo Image 6: Brachiopod (Leptagonia ?) at Carrownabinna Point Image 7: Colonial corals (with one large solitary coral) in boulder eroded from bedrock, Streedagh Back Strand, County Sligo SOURCE: staffweb.itsligo.ie/staff/dcotton/Carboniferous_Period_fossils.html
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 19:55:36 +0000