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Glendesha ASSI

Last updated: 5 February 2010

picture of rock outcrops at Glendesha ASSI

Site No ASSI 292
Area 0.97 (ha)
Declared Date 20/02/2009
Confirmed Date 11/09/2009
County Armagh
Council(s) Newry & Mourne DC
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The area is of special scientific interest because of its geology, which is visible in an outcrop on the western side of Slievebrook.
The Slieve Gullion volcanic complex, of which Camlough Quarry is a part, is the finest example of a Palaeogene igneous centre in Ireland and is among the best topographic expressions of a ring-dyke system in the British Isles. The rocks found here are of international geological importance, having played an important role in a number of theories related to the development of and interaction between igneous rocks.

The Slieve Gullion complex developed in an area of crustal weakness, previously exploited by the much older Newry granite, around 400 million years ago.
The Slieve Gullion complex is historically important as it has featured in a number of major geological debates on the nature of igneous rocks and the processes by which they can be formed.

The main rock exposures found in Glendesha consist of the porphyritic felsite part of the ring dyke which here forms the steep hillsid eof Slievebrack.

Site Related Documents

Site map (.PDF 796Kb)Opens in New window, Combined Citation and views about Management documents (.PDF 140Kb)Opens in New window and site leaflet (.PDF 973Kb)Opens in New window