Earth Science Conservation Review

Summary Full report
Doagh Glebe Townland Quarries
Site number:200File Number:H05
ESCC:ED
Locality Type:Quarry (disused), Roadside section Status: ESCR
Grid Reference: H04865163,H053517 End(s) of linear site, Not Entered
County: FermanaghCouncil area:Fermanagh & Omagh District Council
Period:Carboniferous
Stages:Brigantian, Visean
Lithostrat:Carraun Shale Formation, Doagh Limestone Member
Site Description

Roadside quarries, Derrygonnelly-Garrison road, Doagh Glebe Townland, Co. Fermanagh.
Description:
The outcrop of the Doagh Limestone Member of the Carraun Shale Formation is confined to the Doagh Outlier. The stratotype section for the member is located on the south side of the Derrygonnelly - Garrison road at, and for 450m to the west of, Doagh Primary School (H0529 5170). The limestone is exposed in small quarries dipping north at between 10-40 deg. The top and base of the member are exposed in isolated sections in contact with shales, and its thickness is estimated at about 8m. The maximum exposed thickness of limestone is 6.1m in a disused quarry located below the forestry observation tower in Mullynaskeagh Townland (H0612 5232), 1.005km northeast of the Primary School (disused). The outcrop of the Doagh Limestone defines a northeasterly plunging, faulted syncline and the limestone is exposed on both limbs.
Everywhere in its outcrop the limestone consists of pale grey to fawn, medium to coarse-grained pel- and oosparites, containing oncolites and algal structures, in beds up to 0.45m thick. The limestones commonly contain a rich and partially silicified fauna of brachiopods, bryozoa and gastropods and although the micro- biota is severely restricted, the occurrence of Endospiroplectammina sp. indicates a latest Brigantian age as it is not known in older strata and is particularly common in the Namurian. Some thin intercalations of calcareous black shale, containing abundant brachiopods and bryozoa, are present in the stratotype.
Interpretation:
The presence of oncolites and algal structures led Brandon (1972) to correlate the Doagh Limestone Member with the Tawnyunshinagh Limestone Member of Cuilcagh Mountain, and the outcrop in Cos. Leitrim and Cavan.
Conclusions:
The Doagh Limestone Member is confined to the Doagh Outlier of County Fermanagh. Although formerly assigned to the Upper Limestone (Glencar-Dartry Formations), it is evident that it is part of the Carraun Shale Formation and is thought to correlate with the very distinctive Tawnyunshinagh Limestone Member.
Notes:

For information on other sites in Subarea-1 see;
Key Site 1174 - Subarea-1; Derrygonnelly-Marble Arch-Cuilcagh.

Keywords
Rocks:Limestone
FossilGroups:Brachiopod, Gastropod, Microfossil, Microfossils, Polyzoan
Fossil List:Endospiroplectammina sp.
Relations:Marine sediments
Access
Approach:The south side of the Derrygonnelly - Garrison road, approximately 12km east of Garrison.
References
Brandon, A. 1972: The upper Visean and Namurian shales of the Doagh Outlier, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Irish Naturalists Journal, vol. 17, pp.159-170
Map(s): See 1:50,000 O.S. Sheet 17 (Lower Lough Erne).
Rec Type ESCR report    
Enterer: Doughty, P.J.
Updates: 6 Jun 2005 / 19 MAR 97 / 13 MAR 97 / 04 JAN 97 / 21 NOV 95
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