Magilligan SAC

Magilligan lies in the extreme north-west corner of County Londonderry.  The site hosts the area of intact dune principally from Magilligan Point to Benone, as well as dune elements along the Lough Foyle shore. 

The main habitats are the series of dune grasslands together with dune slacks.  These habitats also support notable populations of the marsh-fritillary butterfly and petalwort.  The site is of international importance for earth science with complex contemporary coastal processes, especially in the region of Magilligan Point, and associated dune forms, together with features important to understanding post-glacial sea-level history.  It is the largest coastal depositional feature in Ireland, whilst its well-researched developmental history, combined with rigorous dating, makes it one of only a handful of sites in Europe sufficiently well researched for elucidation of a reliable sea level and sand dune chronology. The dunes also host an important series of fossil soil horizons.