The recent discovery of the fossilised remains of a unique prehistoric shark along the coastline of the Burren will be outlined at the third annual Geopark Academy in County Clare on 24 May.
The first ever find in Ireland of denticles from the distinctive Listracanthus hystrix was made by Geologist Dr. Eamon Doyle of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, which is hosting speakers from the fields of geology and science at the Burren College of Art in Ballyvaughan.
Recovered from the base of the Clare Shale Formation, the shark species died out an estimated 250 million years ago during the early Triassic Period and is known primarily for its unique barbed, feather-like denticles.
Dr. Eamon Doyle, Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, said, “I will be presenting my findings at the upcoming Geopark Academy, and I am also delighted that my research paper on the discovery has been accepted for publication in the Irish Journal of Earth Sciences.”
Dr. Doyle described the Geopark Academy as a multi-disciplinary event connecting research and the local community.
He continued, “The Geopark Academy will feature invited guest speakers on new research of relevance to the Geopark area. This event will examine and promote the ancient geological history of the Geopark, and its evolution through time from its formation through the retreat of the ice sheets some 12,000 years ago to the vibrant region we know of today.”
Dr. Doyle said the underlying geology of the Burren holds many fascinating clues to conditions on Earth more than 300 million years ago.
“Ongoing research attracts scientists and students globally to explore this area. The Academy will feature insights from individuals who have dedicated considerable time and effort to studying this fascinating terrain.”
Speakers at the Geopark Academy include Dr. Gordon Bromley of the University of Galway on reconstructing the impact of abrupt climate change in the Burren; Phoebe Larkin of the Burren National Park (NPWS) about the latest studies on bryophytes, dung beetles and spiders in the Burren National Park; Ballyvaughan musician Daithí Ó Drónaí about the ‘Sounds of the Burren – Using your own culture to make better art’; and Katherine Doe, a final year student at University of Galway, who will speak about other fossil conodonts from the Clare Shale Formation.
Oisín Jackson, Béibhinn O’Loughlin and Anna Mae O’Driscoll, students at Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna, will speak about their award wins in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2025 for their work on ‘The relationship between precipitation and water levels in Turloughs in the Burren’, ‘Looking for tiny fossils hidden in the Burren limestone’ and ‘Does the limestone in the Burren keep it as warm as people say’.
Other speakers include: James Organ (Birds of the Corofin Wetlands); John Sims, Science Teacher at Mary Immaculate Secondary School; Field Monument Advisor Elaine Lynch (Recent results from the burials at the enclosure in Ballyganner North and the preliminary results of the excavation of a herdsman house in Fahee North); and Jenni McGuire of Coole Park NPWS (An introduction to lichens in the Burren – A sneak preview of a new NPWS Burren lichens booklet).
The Geopark Academy concludes on Sunday, May 25 with a field trip lead by Elizabeth O’Donohue, NPWS guide with the Burren National Park.
Due to limited availability, booking is essential for The Geopark Academy 2025. Visit www.burrengeopark.ie or email [email protected] for more information.