Fossil hunting for kids East Coast Ireland

RebelButtMunch

Hi

I want to bring my son out looking for fossils, is there anywhere around Dublin/Wicklow that would be worth going to? Even if its just some shells or marine life etc

Thanks!

Wibbs

Portmarnock cliffs in north Dublin aren't too bad for fossils. That area in general is pretty good. If you check out the Natural history museum you may notice that many of the Lower Carboniferous fossil examples came from collections made from an old(now long gone IIRC) quarry called Feiltrim Hill(SP), inland of Portmarnock. The Portmarnock cliffs are less abundant, but still a half hour with your eye in will turn up enough to interest your fella. Southside/Wicklow way not a lot from what I recall. Mostly igneous rock so no go.

RebelButtMunch

Wibbs wrote: »

Portmarnock cliffs in north Dublin aren't too bad for fossils. That area in general is pretty good. If you check out the Natural history museum you may notice that many of the Lower Carboniferous fossil examples came from collections made from an old(now long gone IIRC) quarry called Feiltrim Hill(SP), inland of Portmarnock. The Portmarnock cliffs are less abundant, but still a half hour with your eye in will turn up enough to interest your fella. Southside/Wicklow way not a lot from what I recall. Mostly igneous rock so no go.

I'm not too familiar with portmarnock. Where should I drive to to get to the cliffs?

Wibbs

IIRC(and it's been a while) just head for the village, park near the beach and you'll see them. Now when I say "cliffs", they ain't the cliffs of Moher. Ten feet high in old money type of thing, but they're all along the beach bit. The seas washed flat stones aren't so good. You may see fossils in them but they're impossible to get out and shouldn't even be tried TBH.

Manach

Enjoy the fossil hunting expediation, but just as an FYI legal wise there are restrictions in general on what might be taken from public property on the coastal area - but taking photos or picking up the odd rock with a fossil shell should be fine.

RebelButtMunch

Thanks for all the information folks. We had a lovely afternoon out there and saw plenty of fossilised marine life. We even got a few small stones for the nature table in school :-)