The Copper Coast is not just for summer it’s a hive of activity over the winter too, don’t take our word for it come and see for yourself!
Six word story & design a book cover challenge
https://www.facebook.com/events/962987970712960/?ti=cl
Kids Variety Showcase
https://www.facebook.com/events/2286290164994498/?ti=as
Copper Coast Geopark Book Fair
https://www.facebook.com/events/639032179883313/?ti=as
Copper Coast Geopark Christmas Fair
https://www.facebook.com/events/258269445121829/?ti=as
The Visitor Centre will be opening at 9.30 a.m. all Fridays for the rest of September! To encourage local people to pop in after the school run we have some special community cafe prices!
Here are details of upcoming events:-
Saturday Sept. 28th 1 p.m. – Craft like your great-grandparents ….. a near zero waste Craft Workshop at the Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1611974635605788/?ti=as
Sunday Oct 6th 2 p.m. – Victorian Steampunk Tea Party at the Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2007281476243101/?ti=as
Our annual Book Fair will take place on November 3rd and the Christmas Fair on December 7th and 8th. More details will be announced soon.
AUG 21st 11 am – Geopark Visitor Centre Open Day
Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre
https://www.facebook.com/events/2063851410585955/
AUG 21st 7.30 pm – Geological Walk Through Time
Bunmahon Beach, Car Park (West Car Park)
https://www.facebook.com/events/1226135827569360/
AUG 23rd 11.30 am – Kilfarrasy Geology Workshop
Kilfarrasy Beach
https://www.facebook.com/events/376276729697364/
AUG 24th 11 am – How did Viking Age Women spend their time?
Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre
https://www.facebook.com/events/2497740077128585/
SEP 28th 1 pm – Craft like your great-grandparents – near zero waste craft
Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre
https://www.facebook.com/events/1611974635605788/
OCT 6th 2 pm – Victorian Steampunk Tea Party
Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre
https://www.facebook.com/events/2007281476243101/
Our annual Book Fair will take place on November 3rd and the Christmas Fair on December 7th and 8th. More details will be announced soon.
National Heritage Week runs from 17th to 25th August this year.
These are the events happening on the Copper Coast!
Walk through hundreds of millions of years of Earth’s history and learn how to read the dramatic history of the Copper Coasts rock as seen in Tra Na mBo Cove with Copper Coast Geologist Robert Galvin.
This event is run as part of the Atlantic Geoparks ERDF co-funded Geotourism Route project.
Admission Free
Not suitable for Children under 12
Car Parking Available
For further Information
051292828
info@coppercoastgeopark.com
Learn about how the earth has changed over millions of years and how these changes are reflected in the rocks and landscape of Waterford. Learn about the rocks, and landscapes of the Copper Coast.
Free entry to the Copper Coast Geopark visitor centre all day also. This event is ran as part of the Atlantic Geoparks ERDF co-funded Geotourism Route project.~
Admission Free
Suitable for Children under 12
Wheelchair Access (Full)
Car Parking Available
Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark
Kilfarrasy Beach
Co. Waterford
Learn about the forces that shaped the rocks of Kilfarrasy Cove and the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark with geologist Robbie Galvin. An easy-going intro to the wonderful world of geology.
Admission Free
Suitable for Children under 12
Car Parking Available
For Further Information
051292828
info@coppercoastgeopark.com
As well as taking in the cultural and historic sites of the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark, there is much more to explore. Whether Surfing or Sandart, Seaweed or Cycling, some really interesting activities take place with trained Geopark ambassadors right here within the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark.
With a large variety of beaches and coves the Copper Coast Geopark is an ideal spot for the keen surfer. Bunmahon beach is also a great place to learn to surf, with gently sloping and breaking waves – particularly in summer.
Book lessons and rentals for all levels on Bunmahon Beach with Bunmahon Surf School
With long, quiet and winding roads roads, the Copper Coast Geopark is a great place for cycling. Whether at blazing speeds or slowing meandering, the Geopark has a wealth of information and sites to discover.
Take a cycle tour of the Copper Coast Global Geopark with Tramore Bike Tours.
Or rent bikes and explore Waterford Greenway with The Greenway Man.
Seaweed is a fascinating plant and culinary delicacy. The pristine waters and craggy shores of the Copper Coast make a perfect place to learn, and taste, the huge variety of seaweeds that can be found along Irish Shores.
Book a sea weed workshop or forage with Marie Power of the Sea gardener.
Sand Art is a cool collaborative way to interact with nature. By making environmental art that disappears with the tide but is remembered forever with a photograph, a sand art workshop can be a really special way to experience the Copper Coast Geopark.
Book a private or group workshop with the Art Hand, to learn how to do this unique and memorable skill.
2019 Copper Coast Festival
Every year Geoparks organise a couple of weeks known as “European Geoparks Network Week” when they put on events to highlight the EGN and geodiversity in their area. In 2017 we thought we’d call it “The Copper Coast Festival” and try to involve as many of the Geopark villages/communities as possible.
The festival is now in its 3rd year and going from strength to strength. Below is the 2019 list of confirmed events.
May 22nd at 11am – Visitor Centre, Open Day – Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre, Bonmahon – In association with the Bealtaine festival https://www.facebook.com/events/663909144034093/
May 23rd at 7.30pm – History talk, The search for medieval Stradbally – Woodhouse Estate, Stradbally.
https://www.facebook.com/events/507577709775653/
May 24th at 7pm – Copper Coast Geological Walk – Bonmahon Beach (West car park) – In association with the Bealtaine festival.
https://www.facebook.com/events/418960805595492/
May 24th at 8pm – Cabaret evening featuring “Sounds” – Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre, Bunmahon – In association with the Bonmahon Tidy Town Committee.
https://www.facebook.com/events/299661290929628/
May 24th at 9pm – Benefit Night featuring Gerry Walsh & Dallas – Kill Community Centre, Kill.
https://www.facebook.com/events/646529499133752/
Sunday, May 26th at 11am – Geopark Visitor Centre Open Day – Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre, Bonmahon.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2905241139560375/
Sunday, May 26th at 11.30 a.m. Road Bowling at Fenor cross
Keeping this heritage sport alive and well for our future generations. New members always welcome.
https://www.facebook.com/events/645309789275176/?active_tab=about
Sunday, May 26th at 12noon – Paint Out with Copper Coast Art Group – Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre, Bonmahon.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2090108244619840/
May 28th at 9pm – Social Dancing – Kill Community Centre, Kill.
https://www.facebook.com/events/291754391700586/
May 30th at 10.30am – Tramore Yarners on the Copper Coast – Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre, Bonmahon.
https://www.facebook.com/events/364843157564010/
May 30th at 7.30pm – History talk, “The 1641 Depositions” – Woodhouse Estate, Stradbally.
https://www.facebook.com/events/437330953721971/
June 1st at 10am – Bonmahon Inshore Lifeboat Open Day – Bonmahon Lifeboat station, Bonmahon.
https://www.facebook.com/events/438892343526015/
Sunday June 2nd, at 11.30 a.m. Road Bowling at Fenor cross
Keeping this heritage sport alive and well for our future generations. New members always welcome.
https://www.facebook.com/events/432936953936672/
June 4th at 9pm – Social Dancing – Kill Community Centre, Kill.
https://www.facebook.com/events/289192705363600/
June 6th at 7.30pm – History Talk, Woodhouse – “A Manor Reborn”, Woodhouse Estate, Stradbally.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1309357232546928/
June 8th & 9th – The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group Live at Tankardstown – Tankardstown engine house, Bonmahon.
https://www.facebook.com/events/575981262809880/
Sunday June 9th at 11.30 a.m. Road Bowling at Fenor cross
Keeping this heritage sport alive and well for our future generations. New members always welcome.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2229961107266433/
June 11th at 9.30pm – Social Dancing – Kill Community Centre, Kill.
https://www.facebook.com/events/800920246959082/
June 12th at 9.30pm – The Thatch BAR Sessions – Dunphys Bar, Kill.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2028913410751390/
June 13th at 7.30pm – History talk, “The Irish Diaspora, Past, Present and Future” – Woodhouse Estate, Stradbally.
https://www.facebook.com/events/605692726581812/
June 13th at 7.30pm – Who wants to be a Thousandaire? – Greenway Manor Hotel – In association with The Copper Coast Scouts.
https://www.facebook.com/events/835527350132437/
Date & Time TBC – Bonmahon Coast Guard Demonstration – Bunmahon, exact location to be confirmed.
Please note some details may be subject to change so please check our Facebook page www.facebook.com/coppercoastfestival for the most up-to-date information
quality education to the community. Their 60th Anniversary celebration & “Beauty of Bonmahon” book launch takes place on Friday, 3rd May from 7.30pm in the Visitor Centre. There will be Ceol agus Craic, Open Mic, light bites, and a raffle. All are welcome. Come and join the celebrations!
We are delighted to welcome eight new Geoparks into the Global Network.
The newly designated sites are:
Kütralkura, Chile http://geachile.sernageomin.cl/en/geopark-kutralkura/geopark-kutralkura.html
The Kütralkura UNESCO Global Geopark, which in the language of the Mapuche people means stone (kura) and fire (kütral), or firestone, is characterized by some of the world’s most active volcanism. It is situated 700 km south of Santiago and reaches the border of Argentina to the east. It encompasses the municipalities of Curacautín, Vilcún, Lonquimay, and Melipeuco, settled by their indigenous inhabitants two millennia ago. Its iconic peaks are mostly active volcanoes such as Llaima, Lonquimay, Tolhuaca, and Nevados de Sollipulli, as well as an extinct volcano, the Sierra Nevada. The thick ice masses that once partially covered the territory, have been shrinking for the past 20,000 years.
Jiuhuashan, China http://english.tzsgy.com/Home.html
The UNESCO Global Geopark of Jiuhuashan, which translates to “Nine Glorious Mountains”, is located in the Qingyang County of China’s Anhui province. Four of them are crowned by sacred Buddhist temples, some dating back to the fifth century CE, on their peaks. Beyond their religious, historical and cultural significance, these mountains also provide a major source of the fresh water that feeds the Yangtze River system. Jiuhuashan’s unique and favourable geological conditions have contributed to the flourishing of the region’s biodiversity and cultural traditions. In 2016, the natural landscape of this area and its religious sites attracted 9.9 million visitors, a major economic contribution to local communities.
Yimengshan, China http://www.ymsdzgy.com/en/
The Yimengshan UNESCO Global Geopark is located on the eastern coast of China, near Jinan City, the capital of Shandong Province. The site is home to one of Asia’s largest kimberlite-type diamond mines, the first primary diamonds discovered in China. The landscape is dotted with Daigu, castle-shaped land formations, as well as multiple sites of cultural heritage, including the Zhou dynasty Wanshou Palace, the Xialou Pavillion where Confucius is believed to have once visited, the 1,500 year old Marshal tree, the Menglianggu Battle Monument, and several renowned temples.
Vis Archipelago, Croatia https://geopark-vis.com/en/
The Vis Archipelago UNESCO Global Geopark is located off the coast of Croatia, formed by some of the oldest rock in the Adriatic Sea. The northeastern region of the archipelago features large sand deposits formed by fierce winds in the Ice Age, which also created several unique caves and land formations. Before the sudden rise of the sea level around 12,000 years ago, these islands were much larger and extended more than 20 miles. In this extended area, called the Mala Palagruža, archaeologists discovered flint quarries that served for the production of early tools, believed to have been made by the islands’ first inhabitants up to 8,000 years ago. Some of the most famous sites on this Archipelago are the Blue Cave (Modra špilja) and the Monk Seal Cave (Medvidina špilja).
Imbabura, Ecuador http://www.vivecuador.com/html2/eng/imbabura_en.htm
The Imbabura UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the northern inter-Andean region, in the Republic of Ecuador. It is known for its great multitude of lakes and magnificent geological formations, such as the Peguche Waterfalls. The highest summit is of this Geopark, the 4,939 metre high Cotacachi Volcano, is located within the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve. The provincial capital, Ibarra, also known as the “White City,” encompasses indigenous villages and colonial towns attracting thousands of visitors every year. This area is currently inhabited by different ethnic groups, among them the Caranqui, the Cayambis, the Otavalos, the Zuletas, the Natabuelas, the Montubio, the Afro and the Awa.
Trollfjell, Norway http://www.trollfjellgeopark.no/index.php/en/
The Trollfjell UNESCO Global Geopark is an area with unique characteristics shaped by a long history of human habitation. While some of this area’s bedrock is poor in nutrients, resulting in barren stretches, others are fertile supporting lush vegetation and considerable biodiversity. Naturally occurring soapstone has been exploited locally since the Iron Age, to make utensils ranging from pots to fishing weights. Archaeologists have discovered soapstone quarries dating back to Viking period, which in the 12th and 13th supplied stones used to build churches. Passages in Trollfjell’s Solsem Cave feature prehistoric rock engravings of dancing stick figures, dating back thousands of years.
Colca y Volcanes de Andagua, Peru http://www.geoparquecolcayvolcanesdeandagua.com/geoparque-colca-y-volcanes-de-andagua/
The Colca y Volcanes de Andagua UNESCO Global Geopark, in the Southern Peruvian Andes, boasts a vast array of volcanic landscapes, lakes, geological faults, pre-Hispanic ruins and colonial churches. Formed 400 million years ago, the landscape features the great Colca Canyon, one of the largest and deepest in the world. The landscape of the Geopark, one of the few areas in the world with a multitude of volcanic cones, has been carved by rivers of lava and melting glaciers. This majestic scenery is known as Valley of Volcanos Andagua, extending between the Colca Canyon-Ayo, Chachas-Andagua and Orcopampa. Most of the inhabitants of these territories belong to pre-Hispanic cultures, heirs to rich customs, festivals and dances, many of which connect them to their unique, volcanic-tectonic territory with its hot springs and highly arable soils.
Courel Mountains, Spain
In the northwest region of Spain, the Courel Mountains UNESCO Global Geopark is home to a variety of Galician communities living in what remains of small medieval villages and monasteries. The territory’s deep valleys and canyons have been formed by erosion. The remarkable aspect of its mountains is impacted by mining, reflecting the relationship between humans and the mineral resources of the region’s Paleozoic rocks, which separate the peninsular interior from the Atlantic facade. Between the first and second century CE, the Roman Empire is believed to have operated dozens of gold mines in this region, extracting Paleozoic primary gold associated with the erosion product of gold-bearing quartz dykes and concentration of their deposits. Remnants of pre-historic fauna and flora, as well as Neolithic paintings, can also be found well-preserved within the deep caves of the mountains.
Our visitor centre and the Copper Coast Café will re open at weekends from March 9th!
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We have started planning for the 2019 Copper Coast Geopark Festival – May 25th to June 9th! This is to coincide with European Geoparks Network Weeks when all over Europe Geoparks are coordinating events.
(subject to change)
The 2018 Festival was a great success with a wide range of interesting events happened across the Geopark area.
Anybody along the Geopark with an event planned around the same time would be also welcome to join in!!
Please contact Robbie at info@coppercoastgeopark.com or Orlaith at hamersleyart@gmail.com for more details or to list your event.
The Copper Coast Geopark stretches along the coast from Garrarus Beach, near Fenor in the east to Ballyvoile Beach near Stradbally to the west and inland to Kill and Dunhill.
That’s 10 beaches, all different, most very accessible; including Trá na mBó near Bonmahon which has just got a path and rail down the cliff
Have a very Happy Christmas and all the very best wishes for 2019!
These are just a few memories from a happy 2018 on the Copper Coast!
The Copper Coast Geopark is in Co. Waterford, Ireland and is an outdoor museum of geological records; it stretches along the coast from Kilfarassy Beach, near Fenor in the east to Ballyvoile Beach near Stradbally to the west. Volcanoes, oceans, deserts and ice sheets all combined to create the rocks which provide the physical foundation of the natural and cultural landscapes of the area. Follow the self-guided "Copper Coast" trail and walking cards available from the The Copper Coast Geopark Centre in Bunmahon.
Copper Coast Geopark Ltd.
Knockmahon,
Bunmahon,
Co. Waterford,
X42 T923
Ireland
Phone: +353(0)51292828
Email: info@coppercoastgeopark.com