FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[mmauthner]

Not sure I've added this to the right section but...

I am going to be visiting Northern Ireland (cycling tour) during the last half of May and was wondering if there is anyone out there on this forum that I could get in touch with as regards seeing collections or even swinging a hammer a bit.

Cheers,
Mark

[Jordi Fabre]

Hi Mark,

Joan Rosell will help. He went to Ireland recently and he published a post about it on our Spanish forum. He will publish his answer here soon.

Jordi

[mmauthner]

Thanks, Jordi. Look forward to it.

[Joan R.]

Hi,
As Jordi said there is something published about Irish mineral localities in the Spanish Message Board. Unfortunately all localities I visited in my trip to Ireland were located in Central and Southern Ireland.
A good Internet search may be the best way to find mineral localities.
Search Websites:
- https://www.iarecordings.org there is a lot of interesting localities across the Emerald Island.
- https://www.irishminerals.com
- https://www.russellsoc.org/galire.htm
- https://www.fabreminerals.com/forum/Foro-Mensajes/viewtopic.php?t=181
- Also among MINDAT, with Google Earth and patience you will see and find many mineral localities and deposits.
- MINERAL Up Magazine nr.2 (2006): Article on Mineralogy of Ireland by Stephen Moreton and David Green.

The theme of collecting in Ireland is an interesting case. On the one hand the rain, almost continuously over long periods over the year, I think it is not good to look for minerals. In addition, Irish people have passed hard times of famine for a long time, lack of educational facilities and the British government repression. They had other headaches... Irish are also independent since 1922 and had to fight to one of the world's greatest power. The Emerald Island is full of farmers and little industry...

It is curious that some of the greatest collectors of Irish minerals are British residents in the neighboring island, England.

We also have examples such as the Mineralogical Society of GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND, where all of the Editorial Board are outside Ireland. It also denotes certain “contempt” among mineralogists from both isles, but this point is simply a personal views.

We wait your biketrip mineral feelings...

[mmauthner]

Thank you, Joan. I shall look these up. Your guidance is much appreciated.

Cheers,
Mark