A Guide to Cork City's Geological Heritage

Introduction

This booklet will function as an easy guide and introduction to Cork’s geology and the heritage tied to it. Part of this is asking and answering how the City’s geology is relevant for us today. It is aimed at the general public and the visitor alike and hopes to highlight the wonderful geoheritage of Cork City, explain how the entire landscape and layout of the city are direct consequences of the sediments and rocks beneath our feet and demonstrate its relevance in our everyday life. The following pages are designed for those of you who are not comfortable with terms such as“Carboniferous”, “orogeny” and “faulting” but would like to understand Cork’s deep history and landscape better. You will discover that you cannot escape geoheritage if you live in Cork City - the entire landscape and layout of the area are direct consequences of the sediments and rocks beneath our feet. In Cork City, everything is defined by our rocks. This booklet and its contents also seek to promote Cork City’s geological heritage and to communicate why it is important. Using it, you will have the opportunity to read about the City’s geology and have a new appreciation for how the area has come to be. But first, let us familiarise ourselves with what geology and geoheritage really is.