Meteorites are pieces of rock left over from the early stages of our Solar System. Most have origins in the Asteroid Belt but some in the collections are fragments of the Moon and Mars. They are named after the places where they fall to Earth. There are seven Irish meteorite falls known to date:
- Pettiswood, Co. Westmeath 1779
- Mooresfort, Co. Tipperary 1810
- Limerick, Co. Limerick 1813
- Killeter, Co. Tyrone 1844
- Dundrum, Co. Tipperary 1865
- Crumlin, Co. Antrim 1902
- Bovedy, Co. Antrim 1969
- Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow 1999
Publications on the collection:
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Ball, V. 1882. Catalogue of the examples of meteoric falls in the museums of Dublin. Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society, 8 (New Series): 298-301.
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Giesecke, C. L. 1832. A descriptive catalogue of a new collection of minerals in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society. To which is added an Irish mineralogy. R. Graisberry, Dublin, 268pp.
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Hill, H. G. M. 1994. Aspects of the petrology and chemistry of the Irish chondritic meteorites. Unpublished MSc Thesis, University of Dublin.
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Seymour, H. J. 1947. On a recent addition to the collection of Irish meteorites in the National Museum Dublin. Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society, 24: 157-164.
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Seymour, H. J. 1951. Catalogue of the examples of meteoritic falls in Irish museums. Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society, 25: 193‑199.
