To understand the present climate and how it might change in the future, we must understand the past according to Dr Catherine Dalton, lecturer in Geography at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, and Chair of the Irish Quaternary Association, who will host their annual spring symposium in Limerick this year.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: A Quaternary Science Retrospective will take place in the Hunt Museum on Saturday 21 April and will consist of a series of retrospective talks in celebration of key Quaternary scientists known for their trailblazing work investigating how the Irish landscape was shaped during and since the Ice Age. The lives of these influential pioneers of the nineteenth and twentieth century and the challenges they faced will be explored.
According to Dr Catherine Dalton, chairperson of IQUA and lecturer in Geography at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick “The unseasonably cold weather and recent fodder crisis are important reminders of climate change and its impacts on all of us. To understand the present climate and how it might change in the future, we must understand the past. Ireland has a rich history of scientific endeavour that continues to this day. Through this, Irish scientists have played a pivotal role in our understanding of the last ice age and how it shaped the landscape. We would like to illustrate the lives, works and legacies of these trailblazing men and women.”
Amongst the various topics to be discussed include: The challenges faced by Women Quaternary Scientists; Exploring the submerged landscapes of Ireland; and Dating prehistoric tombs on the Burren; making this event a must for anyone with an interest in local and national heritage and landscape. Full programme details available here. Tickets (Full €10 / €5 concession) are available on the day.
Alongside the day of talks, the Granary Library will feature a free family-friendly exhibition of extinct and contemporary Irish mammals on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 April from 11am- 5pm. Facilitated by Jim Martin of Wildlife Exhibitions, this exhibition will recreate prehistoric landscapes with animal models, paintings and 3D maps including the mammoth, brown bear, giant Irish deer and arctic fox. A must for all the family.
According to Dr Dalton this retrospective series of talks and free animal exhibition pave the way for the 20th Congress of the International Union for Quaternary Science (INQUA) to be held in Ireland in July 2019. The congress takes place every four years and c.3,000 delegates are expected to attend a seven-day lecture programme, followed by a range of field excursions throughout Ireland. Further information available here.
IQUA is an all-Ireland association created in the 1970s incorporating professionals and amateurs of the diverse Quaternary Sciences such as Geology, Geography, Archaeology, Climatology and Botany. It aims at coordinating all aspects of Quaternary research in Ireland as well as disseminating the existing knowledge through field trips and talks.
