Giant's Causeway: Difference between revisions
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The '''Giant's Causeway''' is an area of 40,000 tightly packed [[basalt]] columns resulting from a [[volcano|volcanic]] eruption 60 million years ago. It is located along the north-east coast of [[Ireland]] about 3kms north of the town of [[Bushmills]] in [[County Antrim]], [[Northern Ireland]]. It was declared a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1986, and a National Nature Reserve in 1987 (by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland). |
The '''Giant's Causeway''' is an area of 40,000 tightly packed [[basalt]] columns resulting from a [[volcano|volcanic]] eruption 60 million years ago. It is located along the north-east coast of [[Ireland]] about 3kms north of the town of [[Bushmills]] in [[County Antrim]], [[Northern Ireland]]. It was declared a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1986, and a National Nature Reserve in 1987 (by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland). |
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| ⚫ | The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, however there are some with four, five, seven and eight sides.{{fn|1}} The tallest are about 12 metres high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick in places. |
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| ⚫ | The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, however there are some with four, five, seven and eight sides |
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Although the basaltic columns of the Giant's Causeway are impressive, and possibly the finest example of their type, they are not truly unique. Similar - if less impressive - structures exist in several parts of the world, including at the [[Cyclopean Isles]] near [[Sicily]], [[Devils Postpile National Monument]] in [[California]], and the "Organ Pipes" formation in [[Dunedin]], [[New Zealand]]. |
Although the basaltic columns of the Giant's Causeway are impressive, and possibly the finest example of their type, they are not truly unique. Similar - if less impressive - structures exist in several parts of the world, including at the [[Cyclopean Isles]] near [[Sicily]], [[Devils Postpile National Monument]] in [[California]], and the "Organ Pipes" formation in [[Dunedin]], [[New Zealand]]. |
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| ⚫ | While recent scientific research suggests the columns were formed as a natural consequence of [[lava]] cooling,{{fn|2}} [[legend]] has it that the giant [[Finn McCool|Finn MacCumhaill]] (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to [[Scotland]] to fight his Scottish equivalent Benandonner. One version of the legend tells that Finn McCool fell asleep before he got to Scotland so when Benandonner came looking for him, Finn's wife Oonagh laid a blanket over Finn and pretended he was actually Finn's baby son. Benandonner worried about how big Finn would be and ran back to Scotland, destroying the causeway and leaving a boot behind in his rush. Other versions of the legend name the Scottish Giant 'Fingal'. At the Scottish side of the causeway at [[Staffa]] there is reference to this in the naming of [[Fingal's Cave]],{{fn|3}} although this has also been said to derive its name from Fingal, a legendary 3rd century Scottish king. |
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| ⚫ | While recent scientific research |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Geography of Ireland]] |
[[Category:Geography of Ireland]] |
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Revision as of 07:30, 9 April 2005
The Giant's Causeway is an area of 40,000 tightly packed basalt columns resulting from a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago. It is located along the north-east coast of Ireland about 3kms north of the town of Bushmills in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986, and a National Nature Reserve in 1987 (by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland).
The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, however there are some with four, five, seven and eight sides.Template:Fn The tallest are about 12 metres high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick in places.
Although the basaltic columns of the Giant's Causeway are impressive, and possibly the finest example of their type, they are not truly unique. Similar - if less impressive - structures exist in several parts of the world, including at the Cyclopean Isles near Sicily, Devils Postpile National Monument in California, and the "Organ Pipes" formation in Dunedin, New Zealand.
While recent scientific research suggests the columns were formed as a natural consequence of lava cooling,Template:Fn legend has it that the giant Finn MacCumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish equivalent Benandonner. One version of the legend tells that Finn McCool fell asleep before he got to Scotland so when Benandonner came looking for him, Finn's wife Oonagh laid a blanket over Finn and pretended he was actually Finn's baby son. Benandonner worried about how big Finn would be and ran back to Scotland, destroying the causeway and leaving a boot behind in his rush. Other versions of the legend name the Scottish Giant 'Fingal'. At the Scottish side of the causeway at Staffa there is reference to this in the naming of Fingal's Cave,Template:Fn although this has also been said to derive its name from Fingal, a legendary 3rd century Scottish king.
See also
- Official Causeway Guide
- Geology of the United Kingdom
- UK topics
- Devils Postpile National Monument (USA)
- Devils Tower National Monument (USA)
References
- Template:FnbTemplate:Fnb. ISBN 0-86278-675-4.
{{cite book}}: Missing or empty|title=(help); Unknown parameter|Author=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|Title=ignored (|title=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|Year=ignored (|year=suggested) (help) - Template:FnbJagla, E. A., Rojo, A. G. Sequential fragmentation: the origin of columnar quasihexagonal patterns. Physical Review E, 65, 026203, (2002) (webpage)