How to find fossils in Ireland... and maybe win a prize for your photo of one

Not just for building walls — many Irish rocks contain traces of ancient life

Ireland's towns and cities are full of fossil treasures. Picture: Ireland's Fossil Heritage

Limestone, sandstone, shale — these are familiar sights in the footpaths, walls, and buildings of Irish towns and cities. But there’s a lot more to these rocks than meets the eye. Many Irish rocks contain fossils, which are the preserved remnants of ancient creatures that lived millions of years ago. Fossils are as much a part of our natural heritage as our wildlife, castles and ringforts, but have been overlooked for many years.

A major national initiative led by University College Cork, ' Ireland’s Fossil Heritage', is working to change this, with funding from Science Foundation Ireland. Since 2021, the initiative has been bringing the Irish public closer to their fossil heritage using an exciting programme of school workshops, public walks and hands-on exhibits at festivals, supported by a website with lots of resources for kids, parents and teachers.