School of Rock: Trinity geology initiative aims to ground pupils

EVERY school in Ireland is to become a school of rock to teach children how to tell their schist from their mudstone.

More than 10 tonnes of rock samples — the equivalent of two full skips — are being distributed to almost 5,000 primary and second level schools on both sides of the border in the initiative to encourage the study of rocks.

The geology department at Trinity College Dublin is arranging delivery of the 60,000 pieces of six common kinds of rock free of charge.