So These Volcanoes Have Just Been Discovered In Westmeath

A new government geological survey has just uncovered the remnants of volcanoes in Ireland's midlands.

Flying at 90 metres, an aircraft using the latest mapping technology spotted the 330 million-year-old rock formations on the Westmeath/Offaly border, just south of Mullingar.

The aircraft's instruments also revealed bands of highly magnetic volcanic rocks several kilometres under the ground near Strokestown, Co Roscommon, which is part of a major fault line that runs through Ireland to Scotland.

Discovered by the government’s Tellus programme, researchers believe the sites will be of interest to companies in search of mineral deposits.

Ray Scallion, principal geologist at the Geological Survey of Ireland, said,

Tellus continues to reveal extraordinary new detail in Ireland’s geological landscape buried beneath our feet, building upon existing data gaps and developing natural resource opportunities.

Founded in 1845, Tellus is part of Ireland’s earth science agency, the Geological Survey of Ireland.

The survey is responsible for collecting geological information and providing information, such as maps, reports and databases.

If anyone out there is panicking, don't: these volcanoes are not active. So there's no need to worry about any Dante's Peak scenarios in Mullingar just yet.