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Thursday, February 04, 2010
Wexford shaken by earthquakes
IN THE past 250 years, there have been ten 'felt' earthquakes recorded in Ireland, and three of them have been in Co. Wexford.
Two in the Enniscorthy area in 1985 and 1988, and another episode at Courtown in 1881.
For the past number of weeks our media has been dominated by the devastating earthquake that has crushed Haiti.
It sends a chilling message to the whole world that nature still has a presence and is ready to strike in a disastrous way and without warning.
The people of Wexford in general, but Enniscorthy in particular, have known the threat of earthquakes in the past. In light of the Haiti situation, I have done some research into such experiences.
Drawing on an article called 'The Global Earthquake Threat' by Prof. William Reville, University College, Cork, which I downloaded from the internet; there are references to Ireland and the threat of earthquakes to this country.
The author answers his own question; What is the risk that Ireland would ever suffer a significant earthquake? "Ireland is a very stable land with little risk of a major earthquake."
The early annals record earthquakes felt in Ireland, but most did little or no damage. An exception occurred in County Sligo in 1490 when it recorded that 100 people were killed along with many horses and cows, and a lake opened up.
Prof. Reville claims that most earthquakes felt in Ireland are minor and many of them originate in Britain or in the Irish Sea. There is a zone along the Irish coast from Cork to Dublin that is active and produces small earthquakes from time to time.
"The most active area is near Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford. In 1985 this centre produced an earthquake of magnitude 2 on the Richter scale. Activity was also reported in September 1988", according Prof. Reville.
He says that Irish earthquakes are minor events caused by the relaxation of stressed rocks. They are not connected with planet movement.
I also came across an article by Frank McDonald of The Irish Times, (unfortunately the date was not recorded, but I believe it to be 1985 I will try to locate the actual date and bring it to readers at a later date), which is brimful of interest.
"People of Enniscorthy area of Co. Wexford are getting used to living with a strange phenomenon earthquakes. After a second tremor hit the area in one month, they are now being asked by seismologists to give an account of their experiences.
"The locals had barely recovered from the shock of the first tremor on St. Stephen's Day when a more severe earthquake, measuring 2 on the Richter Scale, struck the area in the early hours of last Monday morning. Many people actually felt the ground shake.
"The Enniscorthy tremors were the first to be centred in Ireland for a century, and they have caused some excitement in normally subdued seismological circles here. As a result of the two quakes, the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies is to set up more seismic stations in the area."
John O'Halloran, Secretary of the National Co-Operative Council, said the tremors carried an important lesson.
"We must accept them as timely warnings that Co. Wexford, and particularly Carnsore Point, is no longer a geologically stable area and certainly not a suitable place to build a nuclear power station."
Dr. Brian Jacob, Professor of Geophysics at Dublin Institute, was adamant that there was no cause for alarm. "Despite the two recent earthquakes, Ireland is a quiet seismic zone and it is still one of the safest and least tremor prone places in the world."
The 1985 quake happened on a Monday morning and according to contemporary reports its epicentre was five miles south-west of Enniscorthy, in the direction of Clonroche.
"It occurred at 1.30 a.m. and was felt within a radius of six miles. Most people mistook it for a roll of thunder, but the nearest centre felt some vibrations which rattled their windows like a passing juggernaut." according to Frank McDonald.
I must make personal note here. In this area of Co. Wexford, it was a regular occurrence for the Concorde flights breaking the sound barrier while flying off the south coast of Ireland to cause a rattling window effect, which I experienced for myself in the days before weatherglaze shut out the sound.
To continue, Dr. Jacob pointed out that "more people would have been aware of the tremor if had occurred during the daytime. It was caused by a geological fault in the area and it had the effect of moving the earth by a fraction of a centimetre."
To put the Enniscorthy quake in perspective, Dr. Jacob said he was making comparisons with a recent cataclysm in southern Italy. Italy was 100,000 times more severe.
He said: "The tremor in Co.Wexford measured 2 on the Richter Scale compared with a magnitude of 7 for the Italian earthquake."
Dr. Jacob said that buildings were not generally damaged unless a quake measures at least 5 on the scale, and that would be 1,000 times more severe than the Enniscorthy tremor.
He pointed out that on St. Stephen’s Day, 1979, a quake of that magnitude struck Carlisle, in Cumbria, but the damage was slight – although the shock was felt in Northern Ireland.
The last ‘felt’ earthquake in the Republic was on January 11th, 1951, and the epicentre on that occasion was in the Irish Sea.
Another tremor, similar to Enniscorthy’s 1985 event, occurred on August 22nd, 1881, in Courtown, Co. Wexford.
In the 1980’s the danger of earthquakes was explored by experts in light of the Government’s interest in erecting a nuclear power generating station at Carnsore Point.
Anniversary of St. Aidan’s Death
January 31st marks the anniversary of the death of St. Aidan, Patron Saint of the Diocese of Ferns, in 626.
That’s according to the Annals of the Four Masters; some other sources give his death as 622 or 632.
St. Aidan (or St. Maodhog) was the founder and first bishop of the See of Ferns. He was son of Setna and his wife, Eithne. He is said to have been descended from Conn of the Hundred Battles and was born about 555 at Inis Blackmaige, an island in Brackley Lough, Co. Cavan.
In accordance with custom, he was sent at an early age to be fostered. His foster parents were the O’Duffy’s of Fermanagh.
Maodhog spent several years at Cill Mhuine studying under St. David of Menevia. His training completed, he returned to his native land.
According to his biographers, he landed at Ard Ladhrann in Uí Ceinnsealaigh about the year 595 or 600.
A grant of land was given to him by the local chieftain, Dima MacFinntan, at Ard Ladhrann, which has been identified with Ardamine, south of Courtown Harbour. It was there that Maodhog built his first church in Co. Wexford.
Later Brandubh Mac Eochaid, King of Leinster, gave him a grant of land at Ferns. The monastery became the ecclesiastical capital of the province as a result of the king’s act, and for many years after Brandubh’s death, which occurred at the monastery in 604.
The Irish name for Ferns is Fearna Mhor Mhaodhog, but it appears Ath Fearna ("alder ford") was the original name – the ford was over the stream that flows close to the spot that is now called St. Maodhog’s Well, and the stream was known as ‘Fionn ghlaise’ ("bright or fair stream".)
During his episcopate, Maodhog or Aidan founded about thirty churches, including Clongeen, Clonmore, near Bree, Kilmore, Templeshanbo and Boolavogue.
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