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Earth Science Conservation Review
| Blaney Quarry | Fermanagh |
| Site number: | 174 | File Number: | H15 |
| ESCC: | ED | ||
| Locality Type: | Quarry (disused) | Status: | local interest |
| Grid Reference: | H167525 Centroid | ||
| Google maps: | 54.42125,-7.74271 | ||
| County: | Fermanagh | Council area: | Fermanagh & Omagh District Council |
| Period: | Carboniferous | ||
| Stages: | Chadian, Visean | ||
| Lithostrat: | Ballyshannon Limestone Formation | ||
| Site Description | |
|---|---|
| Highlights: | |
The Carboniferous rocks exposed in Blaney Quarry are probably the oldest limestones of the Ballyshannon Limestone Formation that are exposed in Subarea-1. Microfaunas recovered from limestones in the quarry indicate a late Chadian age for the basal part of the formation. | |
| Description: | |
Limestones exposed in this quarry occur in beds between 0.3 and 1m thick and are medium to coarse-grained and pale to medium grey in colour with some beds containing abundant bioclasts including brachiopods, solitary corals and colonies of Syringopora. Limestone beds are invariably separated by 1cm thick grey-black micaceous shaley mudstone. The microfauna/flora identified in these limestones includes the following algae and foraminifera: Bogushella sp. Brunsia spirillinoides Brunsia sp. Earlandia vulgaris Endospiroplectammina sp. Endostaffella sp. Eoforschia sp. Eoparastaffella restricta E. simplex Forschia sp. Koninckopora aff. inflata Koninckopora sp. (monolaminar) Plectogyranopsis convexa Septabrunsiina sp. Tetrataxis medius The late Chadian age is confirmed by the presence of two species of Eoparastaffella, monolaminar Koninckopora and no archaediscid foraminifera which first occur in the Vis‚an in the early Arundian. | |
| Conclusions: | |
Whilst it is possible to nominate other quarries in the formation outcrop between Blaney and Enniskillen that expose a much greater thickness of limestone, several factors favoured the selection of these particular sites as ASSI. All three quarries at Blaney, Carrickreagh and Inisway occur in close proximity to one another and in a part of the outcrop where there is particularly good exposure and the division of the formation into 3 informal 'members' is possible. The position of the Ballyshannon Limestone - Bundoran Shale contact is well defined in the area of Inisway - Blaney West - Claragh townlands and it is one of the few places in Subarea-1 where the upper contact is recognisable. | |
| Notes: | |
For information on other sites in Subarea-1 see; Key Site 1174 - Subarea-1; Derrygonnelly-Marble Arch-Cuilcagh. | |
| Keywords | |
|---|---|
| Rocks: | Limestone |
| Fossil Groups: | Brachiopod, Coral, Foraminifera, Microfossil, Microfossils |
| Fossil List: | Eoparastaffella restricta |
| Relations: | Marine sediments |
| Access | |
|---|---|
| Approach: | 5km ENE of Derrygonnelly. |
| Map(s): | See 1:50,000 O.S. Sheet 17 (Lower Lough Erne). | ||
| Record type: | ESCR report | ||
| Entered by: | Doughty, P.J. | ||
| Last updated: | 23 Dec 2003 | ||
| Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Blaney Quarry, County Fermanagh, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review. https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=174. Accessed on 2026-11-05. |
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