Earth Science Conservation Review
| Loughareema - Dalradian | Antrim |
| Site Type: | Crag, Crags |
| Site Status: | ASSI |
| Grid Reference: | D206356 |
| Google maps: | 55.15331,-6.10815 |
| Rocks | |
|---|---|
| Rock Age: | Precambrian (Dalradian) |
| Rock Name: | Leckpatrick Green Beds, Runabay Head Formation, Southern Highlands Group |
| Rock Type: | Green beds, Schist |
| Interest | |
| Minerals: | Albite |
Introduction:
Loughareema is located at the northern end of the glacial spillway through which the main (A2) Cushendall to Ballycastle Road passes about 5km north-west of Cushendun. The site is accessible from a rough parking area 500m south of Loughareema (Vanishing Lake).
On the first edition of the one inch to one mile geological map of the area (Ballycastle, Sheet 8 (Geological Survey of Ireland, 1887), the rocks at Loughareema were classified simply as "gneiss, mica & hornblende schist" and referred to jointly as "crystalline schists".
Both McCallien (1931) who produced the first detailed lithostratigraphic map of the Dalradian of North-east Antrim and Bailey & McCallien (1934) adopted the lithostratigraphic nomenclature that was currently in use in Scotland. McCallien's stratigraphy for Co Antrim was predicated on a structural interpretation which viewed north-east Antrim as a south-westerly continuation into Ireland of the recumbent fold structures already identified on the Cowal Peninsula, SW Scotland (Gunn et al., 1897).
According to Bailey et al., (1934), the Dalradian strata in the vicinity of Loughareema form part of the Pitlochry Schists (Upper Dalradian) and lie at the core of a tight, downwards-facing structure (is equivalent to the Carrick Castle Fold, Argyll).
The second edition of Sheet 8 (Ballycastle) (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1963; Wilson et al., 1966) contained a revised lithostratigraphy together with an alternative to Bailey and McCallien's interpretation of the regional structure.
A more formal approach to lithostratigraphic terminology for the Dalradian of north-east Antrim was adopted for the first edition of the Solid Geology Map of Northern Ireland (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1977). For the first time, local lithostratigraphic names were applied and the rocks around Loughareema were classified as part of the Altmore Schists.
Arthurs (1976) produced a major reinterpretation of the stratigraphy and structure of North-east Antrim in which the rocks at Loughareema were included within the Runabay Head Formation, see table below. The Runabay Head Formation as defined by Arthurs includes the Leckpatrick Green Bed Member at the stratigraphic base and the Carnaneigh Green Bed Member at the top. This revised stratigraphy has been incorporated in the second edition of the solid geology map (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1997).
TABLE TO BE ADDED Dalradian stratigraphy and ESCR sites in North-east Co. Antrim.
On the first edition of the one inch to one mile geological map of the area (Ballycastle, Sheet 8 (Geological Survey of Ireland, 1887), the rocks at Loughareema were classified simply as "gneiss, mica & hornblende schist" and referred to jointly as "crystalline schists".
Both McCallien (1931) who produced the first detailed lithostratigraphic map of the Dalradian of North-east Antrim and Bailey & McCallien (1934) adopted the lithostratigraphic nomenclature that was currently in use in Scotland. McCallien's stratigraphy for Co Antrim was predicated on a structural interpretation which viewed north-east Antrim as a south-westerly continuation into Ireland of the recumbent fold structures already identified on the Cowal Peninsula, SW Scotland (Gunn et al., 1897).
According to Bailey et al., (1934), the Dalradian strata in the vicinity of Loughareema form part of the Pitlochry Schists (Upper Dalradian) and lie at the core of a tight, downwards-facing structure (is equivalent to the Carrick Castle Fold, Argyll).
The second edition of Sheet 8 (Ballycastle) (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1963; Wilson et al., 1966) contained a revised lithostratigraphy together with an alternative to Bailey and McCallien's interpretation of the regional structure.
A more formal approach to lithostratigraphic terminology for the Dalradian of north-east Antrim was adopted for the first edition of the Solid Geology Map of Northern Ireland (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1977). For the first time, local lithostratigraphic names were applied and the rocks around Loughareema were classified as part of the Altmore Schists.
Arthurs (1976) produced a major reinterpretation of the stratigraphy and structure of North-east Antrim in which the rocks at Loughareema were included within the Runabay Head Formation, see table below. The Runabay Head Formation as defined by Arthurs includes the Leckpatrick Green Bed Member at the stratigraphic base and the Carnaneigh Green Bed Member at the top. This revised stratigraphy has been incorporated in the second edition of the solid geology map (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1997).
TABLE TO BE ADDED Dalradian stratigraphy and ESCR sites in North-east Co. Antrim.
| Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2024. Loughareema - Dalradian, County Antrim, site summary. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review. https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/summary.php?item=162. Accessed on 2024-12-26 |
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