Coastal walkers are invited to photograph fossils they come across as part of a national photography contest.
University College Cork’s science education programme “Ireland’s Fossil Heritage” is offering prizes worth up to 400 euro for winning images.
The contest is open to anyone aged 18 years or over living in Ireland, and participants are encouraged to explore the great outdoors and photograph a fossil in a natural or an urban environment.
Winning entries from last year’s contest depicted fossils in counties Cork, Galway, Kerry, Roscommon, Sligo and Wexford.
Dr Jess Franklin, senior engagement officer with “Ireland’s Fossil Heritage” said that fossils can be found here in building stones and pavements of Irish towns and cities and in natural rocky outcrops around our coastline and on our mountains.
“We really encourage the public to search for these hidden treasures and send us a photo of what they find. If you’re looking for inspiration or for information on where to find fossils, we have an interactive map on our website that highlights some fossil sites that are easily accessible!,”Franklin said.
Professor Maria McNamara, Professor of Palaeontology at UCC, said that “when it comes to our heritage, we often don’t realise what’s right under our nose”.
“ We are very lucky in Ireland to have a rich fossil record, and fossil-rich rocks form a large part of the Irish coastline and are popular building stones. This means that fossils are much easier to find – and much more accessible – than you might expect,” she said.
Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, and there will be several “highly commended” selections.
All winners will receive a voucher worth up to €400 and a high-resolution foamcore print of their winning photo.
The winning artworks will feature in public exhibitions at Cork City Public Library and Mayfield Library in November 2024.
The National Photo Contest 2024 is now open, and closing date for entries is Friday September 27th at 5pm.
Information is here
