Gallery of the Geology of the Ross Formation exposed in the Kilcloher Cliffs

This page represents a gallery of photographs that illustrate the geology of the Ross Formation where it outcrops along the north shore of the Shannon Estuary between Rehy Cliffs to the east and Kilbaha Bay to the west.

The photographs in this gallery were taken by Christopher Kendall, and Peter Haughton. We extend our special thanks to Geoff McGee, the skipper of the vessel Draiocht based in Carrigaholt harbour on the northern flank of the Shannon Estuary in Co-Clare, who transported us to many of the various localities featured in our photographs. The intial photographs in this series should help visitors to the site to locate the various photographs of the Ross Formation sediments in these cliffs.

The gallery illustrates the character of the deepwater sediments of the Ross Formation. Here the Ross Formation section is a mix of deepwater fan lobes exhibiting sparse shallow channeling.

References

Chapin, M.A., Davies, P., Gibson, J.L. & Pettingill, H.S. (1994), Reservoir architecture of turbidite sheet sandstones in laterally extensive outcrops, Ross Formation, western Ireland. In Weimer, P., Bouma, A.H. & Perkins, R.F (eds), Submarine fans and turbidite systems, GCSSEPM Foundation 15th Annual Research Conference, 53 68.

Collinson, J.D., Martinsen, O. Bakken, B. and Kloster, A. (1991), Early fill of the western Irish Namurian Basin: a complex relationship between turbidites and deltas. Basin Research, 3, 223 242.

Davies, S.J. & Elliott, T. (1996), Spectral gamma ray characterisation of high resolution sequence stratigraphy: examples from Upper Carboniferous fluvio deltaic systems, Co. Clare, Ireland. In Howell, J.A. & Aitken, J.F. (eds) High resolution sequence stratigraphy: innovations and applications. Special Publication of the Geological Society London, 104, 25 35.

Elliott, T., 2000, Depositional architecture of a sand rich, channelized turbidite system: the Upper Carboniferous Ross Sandstone Formation, Western Ireland. in P. Weimer, R. M. Slatt, A. H. Bouma, and D. T. Lawrence, eds., Deep water reservoirs of the world: Gulf Coast Section SEPM Foundation, Twentieth Annual Research Conference, p. 342–373.

Elliott, T.Pulham, A.J., and Davies, S.J., 2000, Sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and spectral gamma ray expression of turbidite, slope and deltaic depositional sytems in an Upper Carboniferous basin fill succession, western Ireland: Int. Ass. Sed. Conference, Dublin Ireland, Field Guide, p 1 40.

Gill, W.D. (1979), Syndepositional sliding and slumping in the West Clare Namurian Basin, Ireland. Geological Survey of Ireland Special Paper 4, 31pp.
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Hodson, F., 1954a, The beds above the Carboniferous limestone in north west County Clare, Eire: Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 109, p. 259 283.

Hodson, F., 1954b, The Carboniferous rocks of Foynes Island, County Limerick: Geological Magazine, no. 2, p. 153 160.

Hodson, F. & Lewarne, G.C. (1961) A mid Carboniferous (Namurian) basin in parts of the counties of Limerick and Clare, Ireland. Quart. Geol. Soc. Lond., 117, 307 333.

Martinsen, O.J. (1989), Styles of soft sediment deformation on a Namurian (Carboniferous) delta slope, western Ireland Namurian Basin, Ireland. In Whatley, M.K.G. & Pickering, K.T. (eds) Deltas: sites and traps for fossil fuels, Geological Society Special Publication, 41, 167 177.

Martinsen, O.J. & Bakken, B. (1990), Extensional and compressional zones in slumps and slides in the Namurian of County Clare, Ireland. Journal of the Geological Society, 147, 153 164.

Pulham, A.J. (1987), Depositional and syn sedimentary deformation processes in Namurian deltaic sequences of west County Clare, Ireland. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Wales, Swansea.

Pulham, A.J. (1989), Controls on internal structure and architecture of sandstone bodies within Upper carboniferous fluvial dominated deltas, County Clare, western Ireland. In Whatley, M.K.G. & Pickering, K.T. (eds) Deltas: sites and traps for fossil fuels, Geological Society Special Publication, 41, 179 203.

Pyles, D.R. (in press), Stratigraphic architecture of a structually confined submarine fan, Carboniferous Ross Sandstone, Western Ireland, Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

Rider, M.H. (1969), Sedimentological studies in the West Clare Namurian Basin, Ireland and the Mississippi Delta. Unpublished PhD thesis, Imperial College London.

Rider, M.H. (1974), The Namurian of West County Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 74B, 125 142.

Rider, M.H. (1978), Growth faults in the Carboniferous of western Ireland. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 62, 2191 2213.

Sevastopulo, G.D. (1981), Upper Carboniferous. In Holland, C.H. (ed.) A geology of Ireland. Scottish Academic Press, 173 199.

Wignall, P.B. and Best, J.L. (2000), The Western Irish Namurian Basin reassessed. Basin Research 12, 59 78.

Wignall, P.B. and Best, J.L. (2002), The Western Irish Namurian Basin reassessed – a discussion. Basin Research 14, 523 542.