Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark

The Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark straddles the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is centred on the Marble Arch Caves and in 2001 it became one of the first Geoparks to be designated in Europe.

The Geopark features various sites which demonstrate the geological and wider natural heritage of the area, as well as the cultural heritage relating to 7–8000 years of recorded human occupation since the last ice age.^[1] It is managed by Fermanagh District Council.

Geography

The Geopark consists of over 30 discrete areas of land, largely in public ownership across County Fermanagh and neighbouring parts of Cavan between Pettigo and Belleek in the north and west and the town of Cavan in the southeast. Most extensive of these are the Cuilcagh Mountain Park, along with the Forests of Ballintempo, Belmore, Tullychurry, Lough Navar, Conagher and Big Dog, each of which are managed by the Northern Ireland Forest Service.

A number of National Nature Reserves and other natural and historic sites and viewpoints also fall within the designated area, the distribution of which has been likened to an archipelægo. There are particular concentrations of Geopark sites around both Lower Lough Erne and south of Belcoo.

The Cuilcagh Mountains straddle the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a few miles southwest of Enniskillen. Cuilcagh itself attains a height of 665 metres (2,182 ft). The Sruh Croppa, Owenbrean and Aghinrawn Rivers flowing on the northern flanks of Cuilcagh Mountain sink underground on reaching the limestone outcrop, combining underground to form the Cladagh River which emerges at a natural rock bridge known as the Marble Arch.

Much of the rest of the Geopark comprises parts of the range of hills which stretch between Belmore Mountain, which peaks at 401 metres (1,316 ft), and the Cliffs of Magho overlooking the western reaches of Lower Lough Erne.^[2][3][4]

Geology

The Geopark is underlain by a suite of southerly dipping beds of sandstone, mudstone and limestone assigned to the Visean and Namurian stages of the Carboniferous period.

The caves are developed in the Asbian age Glencar Limestone Formation and the Knockmore Limestone Member of the overlying Dartry Limestone Formation. Cuilcagh Mountain and the hills to its northwest are largely made up of rocks of the Asbian/Brigantian age Glenade Sandstone Formation, the Brigantian/Pendleian age Dergvone and Carraun Shale Formations, the Pendleian age Briscloonagh Sandstone Formation and the Arnsbergian age Bencroy Shale, Lackagh Sandstone and Gowlaun Shale Formations.

Many of these formations are heavily faulted. Those at Cuilcagh are intruded by the WNW–SSE-oriented Cuilcagh Dyke – one of several vertical intrusions in the area of dolerite of Palaeogene age whilst a dolerite sill intrudes into the area to the west of Conagher Forest.

The limestone formations have given rise to Northern Ireland's finest karst landscape. The caves themselves are of unknown age but date back in part over 380,000 years.

The area was subject to repeated glaciation during the Quaternary period. The most recent ice age, the Midlandian or Devensian, has left a spread of glacial erratics across the landscape.^[5]

Protected areas

There are several National Nature Reserves within the Geopark, including those of Correl Glen, Hanging Rock, Cladagh Glen and Killykeegan. Some of the blanket bog on Cuilcagh Mountain is protected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Union's Habitats Directive and as a Ramsar site designated under the Ramsar Convention.^[6]

Principal attractions

• Marble Arch Caves are a major draw for visitors in Northern Ireland and these show caves exhibit a wide range of classic cave features which are enjoyed by visitors by boat and on foot.
• The Calf House or Druid's Altar in Burren Forest, County Cavan is a fine example of a portal tomb or dolmen dating from Neolithic times. Nearby is the Giant's Leap wedge tomb.
• There a number of castles in the Geopark dating from the sixteenth century, now largely in ruins.
• Shannon Pot is a natural feature which is considered to be the source of Ireland's longest river, the Shannon. It has a rich mythological associations, not least the story of Sionnan, grand-daughter of the Celtic sea-god Lir, who came to this spot in search of the great Salmon of Wisdom.

History

The caves were first explored in 1895 by the French speleologist Édouard-Alfred Martel together with naturalist Lyster Jameson.^[7] It was 40 years before members of the Yorkshire Ramblers' Club made further explorations of the system.^[8] Fermanagh District Council began to consider developing a show cave at the site and they eventually opened them to the public in 1985.^[9] The nearby Cuilcagh Mountain Park was opened in 1998.

The two areas became one of the first European Geoparks in 2001^[9] and gained the status of Global Geopark in 2004 following the Madonie Agreement between UNESCO and the European Geoparks Network.^[10] In 2007 the Geopark was extended to cover many thousands of hectares of afforested upland to the north west of Cuilcagh Mountain and in September 2008 it became the world's first transnational Geopark in the European and Global Geoparks Networks as it was extended across the international border into County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland.^[11]

Events

The Geopark promotes walks and events of various sorts to interpret its attractions both to local people and visitors. These include a celebration of European Geoparks Week which takes place at the end of May – start of June, coinciding with similar event in Geoparks across Europe.

See also

• Castle Archdale
• Cladagh Glen Nature Reserve
• Hanging Rock Nature Reserve

References

1. ^ "Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark". http://www.marblearchcaves.net. Retrieved 2009-10-10. 
2. ^ Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI). Discoverer 17 (Map) (2003 ed.). 
3. ^ Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI). Discoverer 26 (Map) (2003 ed.). 
4. ^ European Geoparks published in 2008 by Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest
5. ^ Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. Geological Map of Northern Ireland, 1:250K solid (Map) (1999 ed.). 
6. ^ "Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in Northern Ireland" (PDF). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/RIS/UK12005.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-02. 
7. ^ Martel, E.-A. (1897) (in French). Irlande et cavernes anglaises. Paris: Delagrave. 
8. ^ Jones, Gareth Ll.; Burns, Gaby; Fogg, Tim; Kelly, John (1997). The Caves of Fermanagh and Cavan (2nd ed.). Lough Nilly Press. pp. 79–84. ISBN 0-9531602-0-3. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Marble Arch Caves & Cuilcagh Mountain Park: A Global Geopark in the border region of Ireland". European Geoparks Network. http://www.europeangeoparks.org/isite/geopark/33,1,0.asp?mu=1&cmu=6&thID=0. Retrieved 2010-11-02. 
10. ^ "The Organisation – Introduction". European Geoparks Network. http://www.europeangeoparks.org/isite/page/58,1,0.asp?mu=4&cmu=33&thID=0. Retrieved 2009-01-23. 
11. ^ "Geopark News: The Worlds First International Geopark!". Fermanagh District Council. 2008. http://www.fermanagh.gov.uk/index.cfm?website_Key=47&Category_key=134&Page_Key=553. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 

External links

• Marble Arch Caves European Geopark Official Web Site
• European Geoparks Network Official Web Site

Coordinates: 54°15′30.34″N 7°48′51.53″W / 54.2584278°N 7.8143139°W / 54.2584278; -7.8143139