The Copper Coast Geopark is a designated area comprising a stretch of the southern coast of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

in County Waterford, extending for some 25 km of coastline from Kilfarrasy in the east to

Stradbally Stradbally () is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for its "Steam Ra ...

in the west. It was the first

geopark A geopark is a protected area with internationally significant geology within which sustainable development is sought and which includes tourism, conservation, education and research concerning not just geology but other relevant sciences. In 2 ...

to be designated in the country.

History

The "Copper Coast" evolved over 460 million years after it was formed by volcanic activity in the

Ordovician The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years from the end of the Cambrian Period million years ago (Mya) to the start of the Silurian Period Mya. T ...

period. The oldest felsic volcanic rocks have intrusive elements and are interspersed with shales. Sedimentary rocks from 370-360 Mya can be seen as reddish-brown conglomerates,

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...

s, siltstones and shales. After a wide gap in geological time, the next exposed sequences are from the Quaternary period, and consist of unconsolidated tills, boulder clays and deposits of sand and gravel. The geopark encompasses about of coastline south of the

Comeragh Mountains The Comeragh Mountains () are a glaciated mountain range situated in southeast Ireland in County Waterford. They are located between the town of Dungarvan and stretch inland to the town of Clonmel on the County Tipperary border and the villag ...

, extending from

to Kilfarrasy. The area is a plain, mostly covered by glacial till and bog, with cliffs at the sea edge. There are several streams flowing through deeply cut valleys to beaches and coves, with stack rocks and rocky headlands. The area has a rich cultural heritage, with

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...

dolmens,

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...

forts, pre-Christian inscribed stones, the remains of medieval churches and a castle. The coast is named for the historic metal-mining industry, the legacies of which now constitute a tourist attraction. The idea of the geopark developed from a local interest group, starting around 1997. The area was declared a

European Geopark The European Geoparks Network (EGN) functions as the regional organization of the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and the UNESCO International Geosciences and Geoparks Programme (UNESCO-IGGP). Its main objective is to ensure cooperation between geop ...

in 2001 and joined the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

Global Geoparks Network UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are geoparks certified by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council as meeting all the requirements for belonging to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN). The GGN is both a network of geoparks and the agency of the United Nati ...

in 2004, being designated a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015. This was done to aid in sustainability but also with a view to boosting the profile of the area as a tourist destination.

Panorama

Features

This geologically diverse area contains records of Palaeozoic

volcanism Volcanism, vulcanism or volcanicity is the phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics, and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface called a ...

and the last

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gre ...

- a heritage which is interpreted locally for the visitor. The geopark trust maintains a visitor centre at Monksland Church in Knockmahon. It also owns an old engine house, part of the industrial heritage.

Organisation

The geopark is overseen by a charitable company, with voluntary local and expert directors, and a staff of a part-time manager and a geologist, supported by volunteer guides, and community employment workers from Solas and Tus.

References

External links

Parks in County Waterford Geoparks in the Republic of Ireland Global Geoparks Network members Coasts of Ireland {{coord missing, County Waterford