Peru to Tipperary: measuring earthquakes from Mitchelstown Caves

The seismograph in place in Mitchelstown Caves. It is 200 feet underground, and has already detected earthquakes in Peru and off the coast of Fiji. (Picture: Dr Martin Möllhoff)

Did you feel the earth move? Since 1980, earthquakes have been located and detected in Ireland, and now Mitchelstown Caves will be adding to the log of any earth-shattering events as the home of Ireland’s eighth registered station on the network.

The Irish National Seismic Network (INSN) has been locating and detecting earthquakes in and around Ireland for over four decades. The INSN has currently nine stations nationally, and the one in Mitchelstown Caves, with station code IMIC, started as the eighth station of the network on May 24th this year.

John English, owner of Mitchelstown Caves, said they were approached last year about the scheme.

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