Abstract
Abstract The Lough MacNean Valley and the surrounding Cuilcagh and Belmore Mountains expose carbonates and subordinate shales of late Arundian to Asbian age. The Benbulben Shale, of late Arundian to Asbian age, is composed of fossiliferous shales with limestone bands. This is succeeded by the Glencar Limestone, composed predominantly of argillaceous micritic wackestones and packstones, and fossiliferous shales. This is overlain by the Asbian Dartry Limestone, which exhibits extreme lateral and vertical facies variations; it is quite different on east, north and west Cuilcagh, which are described in turn. Lateral variations in facies and thickness in the Dartry Limestone are attributed to carbonate ramp development on a differentially subsiding block, initiated by sinistral strikeslip movement on the Castle Archdale-Belhavel and Curlew-Clogher Valley fault systems. The sediments exposed on east Cuilcagh represent the proximal portion of the the ramp, whilst the Knockmore and Cloghan Hill Members represent the mid and distal ramp. The chertyfacies limestones mark widespread open shelf conditions at the end of subsidence. Inversion is marked by the shallow-water Cloghany Limestone, the Carn Limestone and the top-Dartry disconformity prior to deposition of the Meenymore Formation.
Published Version
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