Radiocarbon constraints on readvances of the British–Irish Ice Sheet in the northern Irish Sea Basin during the last deglaciation

Moraines deposited by the Dundalk Bay ice lobe record two readvances of the Irish Ice Sheet into the northern Irish Sea Basin during the last deglaciation. These readvances overrode and incorporated fossiliferous marine muds from the floor of Dundalk Bay. AMS 14C dates from monospecific microfaunas obtained from these muds indicate that the earlier (Clogher Head) readvance occurred sometime between 15.0 and 14.2 14C ka BP, thus identifying a previously unrecognized ice-margin fluctuation in the Irish Sea Basin that is correlative with a readvance in northwest Ireland. The younger readvance occurred after 14.2 14C ka BP and is equivalent to the Killard Point readvance identified elsewhere in the Irish Sea Basin. These readvances occurred during the Oldest Dryas cold interval and bracket Heinrich event 1. Raised marine muds that were deposited between ice readvances require that a substantial ice sheet remained on Ireland throughout much of the last deglaciation, with attendant isostatic depression of at least 110 m.