The carboniferous geology of the Carrick-on-Suir syncline, Southern Ireland

Abstract

A geological map of the Carrick-on-Suir Syncline is presented at a scale of 1:31680 (2 inches to one mile). The thirteen mapping units proposed are discussed in detail; all but the lowermost are Carboniferous in age. The Courceyan transgression of southern Ireland is manifest in the area by a conformable passage from continental elastics (the Kiltorcan Formation), to deep shelf marine micritic accumulations (the Waulsortian Limestone) by way of a suite of transitional facies represented by the Porter's Gate and Hook Head Formations. Though the resulting rock succession is thick (1250m), it has proved susceptible to fine biostratigraphic division using miospores and conodonts.