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blowin · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:56 am Post subject: fossils

I am not a very experienced prospector for these things but it has struck me that there a very few different types over here . Loads of what look like elongated , twisted rams' horns but very little else .
Without giving away any any secret locations ( unless you'd care to pm me Wink

. Please

) , is there much else to be found and roughly where ?

I am particularly interested in ammonites or similar . Just north of Sligo was mentioned . Must take a look Wink

MerRua · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Ammonites are not very common in ireland from what I found.

In sligo I would try weathered rocky beachs, where the rain and sea is wearing away fossils and discovering new ones all the time. I would check details about safely recovering fossils from cliffs or just look for loose ones on the ground (much safer).

You can also try the sandy layer in bogs, best to check in the drains where the water runs. I have have great luck there.

Mostly you will find fossils in granite at the beach and in soft porous rocks at the bog. Mostly sea life, coral and sponges.

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

I always keep an eye out for fossils etc while doing a bit of field walking. Archaeology is a pet hobby of mine. I have a bit of a collection of quite common fossils from the UK. I would love to find one of those prehostoric fish that are found when a piece of limestone is split.
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admin · Site Admin Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 227

GB · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

I walked up a river in mayo in 95 (water was low due to great weather) and found myself in a deep gully just dripping with ferns and shaded with trees at the top and full of wonderfull golden dappled sun light (the kind we see so seldom Rolling Eyes

) and realized I was standing of a fosile coral reef Shocked

It must have gone on for over 50 meters. Just stunning. The only other thing I have found was a camels tooth on the beach. The reef was just outside Mygona (I think thats the way it was spelled, About 40 min. from Crosmalina) in the little river that runs by the grave yard (great black berries there as well Cool

) It would be a great place to find again when the kids are older because it was just so beautfull.
I have looked on line but cant seem to find any info on good sites to look for fossils and yet the UK has LOADS of places. Confused

Does any one know of any in the south west?
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wayoutwest · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 184 Location: west clare

the coast line between tramore and Dungarvan - try the little beaches and the caves in the rocks around stradbally, and near there.

GB, that sounds heavenly. reading your post left me with a deaper longing for trees, a longing that never seems to go away, just stabs me now and then to remind me what i left behind.

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