Extreme wave events in Ireland: 14 680 BP–2012

Abstract

The island of Ireland is battered by waves from all sides, most ferociously on the west coast as the first port of call for waves travelling across the Atlantic Ocean. However, when discussing ocean events relevant to the nation of Ireland, one must actually consider its significantly larger designated continental shelf, which is one of the largest seabed territories in Europe. With this expanded definition, it is not surprising that Ireland has been subject to many oceanic events which could be designated as "extreme"; in this paper we present what we believe to be the first catalogue of such events, dating as far back as the turn of the last ice age.