Carrivemaclone is a special place because of its earth science interest. The area provides access to exposures of a granite-like rock called granodiorite that together with a number of other sites describe the Newry Igneous Complex.
The granodiorite was formed some 410 million years ago. This is an igneous rock type, that is, it was injected as magma (molten rock) into pre-existing older rocks – Silurian sedimentary rocks. These older rocks are known as ‘host’ rocks. The magma then cooled slowly eventually forming huge masses of solid rock deep beneath the surface. Subsequent erosion has now exposed parts of these enormous rock units.
At the Cloghoge Roundabout section, there is another type of rock exposed that is dark green in colour. This is called granophyre and is part of the much more recent (about 60 million years old) Ring of Gullion ring dyke.
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