Editing Ireland (section)

=== Geology ===
{{Main|Geology of Ireland}}
[[File:Topography Ireland.jpg|thumb|[[Topography]] of Ireland]]
The island consists of varied [[geologic province|geological provinces]]. In the west, around County Galway and [[County Donegal]], is a medium- to high-grade metamorphic and igneous complex of [[Caledonides|Caledonide]] affinity, similar to the [[Scottish Highlands]]. Across southeast Ulster and extending southwest to [[Longford]] and south to [[Navan]] is a province of [[Ordovician]] and [[Silurian]] rocks, with similarities to the [[Southern Uplands]] province of Scotland. Further south, along the [[County Wexford]] coastline, is an area of granite [[intrusion|intrusives]] into more Ordovician and Silurian rocks, like that found in Wales.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geology of Ireland |website=Geology for Everyone |publisher=Geological Survey of Ireland |url= http://www.gsi.ie/Education/Geology+for+Everyone/Geology+of+Ireland.htm |access-date=5 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080327113851/http://www.gsi.ie/Education/Geology%2Bfor%2BEveryone/Geology%2Bof%2BIreland.htm |archive-date=27 March 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bedrock Geology of Ireland |website=Geology for Everyone |publisher=Geological Survey of Ireland |url=http://www.gsi.ie/NR/rdonlyres/0302F251-C4ED-4938-BCF0-CF228A3E8F6A/0/GSI_GeolIreland_A4.pdf |access-date=5 November 2008 |archive-date=28 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028204341/http://www.gsi.ie/NR/rdonlyres/0302F251-C4ED-4938-BCF0-CF228A3E8F6A/0/GSI_GeolIreland_A4.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the southwest, around [[Bantry Bay]] and the mountains of [[MacGillycuddy's Reeks]], is an area of substantially deformed, lightly [[metamorphic rock|metamorphosed]] [[Devonian]]-aged rocks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geology of Kerry-Cork – Sheet 21 |website=Maps |publisher=Geological Survey of Ireland |date=2007 |url= http://www.gsi.ie/Publications+and+Data/Maps/Geology+of+Kerry-Cork+-+Sheet+21.htm |access-date=9 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071212143431/http://www.gsi.ie/Publications%2Band%2BData/Maps/Geology%2Bof%2BKerry-Cork%2B-%2BSheet%2B21.htm |archive-date=12 December 2007 }}</ref> This partial ring of "hard rock" geology is covered by a blanket of [[Carboniferous]] limestone over the centre of the country, giving rise to a comparatively fertile and lush landscape. The west-coast district of [[the Burren]] around [[Lisdoonvarna]] has well-developed [[karst]] features.<ref>{{cite web |author=Karst Working Group |title=The Burren |website=The Karst of Ireland: Limestone Landscapes, Caves and Groundwater Drainage System |publisher=Geological Survey of Ireland |date=2000 |url=http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/the_burren/burren_karst.htm |access-date=5 November 2008 |archive-date=18 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018141227/http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/the_burren/burren_karst.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Significant stratiform lead-zinc mineralisation is found in the limestones around [[Silvermines]] and [[Tynagh]].

[[Hydrocarbon exploration]] is ongoing following the first major find at the [[Kinsale Head gas field]] off [[Cork (city)|Cork]] in the mid-1970s.<ref name="energyfiles">{{cite web |url=http://www.energyfiles.com/eurfsu/ireland.html |title=Ireland: North West Europe |website=EnergyFiles.com |access-date=30 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313230157/http://www.energyfiles.com/eurfsu/ireland.html |archive-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="sch">{{Cite book |last1=Shannon |first1=Pat |last2=Haughton |first2=P. D. W. |last3=Corcoran |first3=D. V. |title=The Petroleum Exploration of Ireland's Offshore Basins |publisher=Geological Society |date=2001 |location=London |page=2 |isbn=978-1-4237-1163-6}}</ref> In 1999, economically significant finds of natural gas were made in the [[Corrib Gas Field]] off the County Mayo coast. This has increased activity off the west coast in parallel with the "[[North Sea oil#West of Shetland|West of Shetland]]" step-out development from the [[North Sea oil|North Sea hydrocarbon province]]. In 2000, the [[Helvick]] oil field was discovered, which was estimated to contain over {{convert|28|Moilbbl|m3}} of oil.<ref>{{cite news |title=Providence sees Helvick oil field as key site in Celtic Sea |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |date=17 July 2000 |url= http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2000/07/17/current/bpage_2.htm |access-date=27 January 2008 |archive-date=19 January 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120119040533/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2000/07/17/current/bpage_2.htm}}</ref>