Ireland’s 1st UNESCO Global Geopark

The Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark and Visitor Centre is located between Tramore and Dungarvan in County Waterford. The area was declared a European Geopark in 2001 and in 2015 it became Ireland’s first UNESCO Global Geopark. The geology of this area is a spectacular record of the earth’s past and along this coastline, you can see scalloped beaches and rocks produced from undersea volcanos, arid deserts, and ice ages. In the middle of the trail is a 19th-century copper mine heritage center that explains the influence that geology has had on humans. Ireland now has 2 other UNESCO Geo-Parks: The Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark in County Clare and The Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark in County Fermanagh.

Thanks to Oxford Geology for informative video